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 Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:50 pm
With recent developments progressing as they were, Jordan was realizing that he'd been burning his bridges at both ends since his arrival, as he stared helplessly at the jagged chasm looming below. He was becoming a dog and acting like the doctor's faithful pet: a lunatic at times and a fanatic at others. It was justified to stay in the labs' good graces, but that was becoming a losing effort. He'd sacrewed up several times, but this latest took the cake for sure.
Then, there was the epiphany that he'd lost his family and would never see them again. Dealing with life on the island had been hard enough without bringing his family into the picture. There was Christmas and the sadness that it brought along. No family, not even a present at his doorstep, and never again would he be human.
His meeting with Thina had prompted such thoughts and he wondered if his parents even knew he was missing, if they’d tried to contact him. They probably thought he was dead and that was probably for the best. As much as he wanted to let them know he was okay, Jordan couldn’t bear the thought of them knowing he was changing into an animal possibly only five hundred miles from home. They’d ask questions and that would lead to them being ‘silenced’.
Jordan hadn't contacted Seth like he'd agreed to, till now. He'd been suspicious of him previously, but now he didn't care what he was up to. As much as it felt, Jordan was no different than any of them. He'd been using the labs as a shield to hide behind, as he acted high and mighty. The memory of that encounter was abyssmal. What had he been thinking? He was going to get himself killed like Awen feared with his zealous fanaticism of the labs. The labs were a nightmare for him on the mainland, but since he'd arrived, Jordan had tried to used them to his advantage and failed. He wanted to change his ways and make amends for his grievous actions one at a time and he was considering what he'd been doing thus far. This wasn't him. This wasn't what he wanted for himself. Jordan was being turned into a tool for the labs to discard when his usefulness had expired, like Richard had said time and again. Such conflicting thoughts were shaking his loyalties with the labs who kept him safe and in comfort.
He'd contacted Seth and asked the thylacine to meet him at the far end of the beach. He needed to talk to him seriously about important matters. Jordan's tone was somewhat despondant and distant. Whether or not the man would come, Jordan would be waiting where he asked to meet.
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:10 pm
Seth wandered out of his territory with an almost limping-like canter. He wasn't injured or anything, but with the speed he was currently going at, his feet were telling him to hop, to bound, while he wanted to move his legs as he had always done. Since his last change, he had been sore and aching all over for the past number of weeks. But as the pains faded, he felt more comfortable and even found walking easier. The tail gave him superior balance and he had finally begun to see it's use.
That still didn't mean he liked it, however.
The bipedal-thylacine hesitantly paused as he reached the edge of the jungle, nervously peering out onto the beach. What did Jordan want? Did he find out about the real plan? Was he going to clobber him like he had done before? Or had he come through in the end, and had received the wire cutters? He didn't know. Curiousity drove him onwards, and he stepped out into the open, casually walking across the hot sand. The direct heat of the sun beating down on him felt invigorating. He almost wanted to lie in it, put his head down, and go to sleep. But no, he had come here for a different reason, and needed to keep on going.
It didn't take him long to reach the edge of the sand, the ocean lazily lapping at the beach sand under his feet. Seth placed his heels down, standing on the entire length of his foot, and raised his head to the air to sniff. It was something a thylacine might do to extend it's sight range, but for an already-bipedal creature, the motion just looked plain silly.
He was here somewhere... his scent was in the air. The man quickly glanced around the beach, but saw nothing. Perhaps he was early?
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:23 pm
When Jordan had meant the far side of the beach, that's really what he'd meant: an isolated tract of sand that he suspected was unmonitored. It was away from the jungle and away from everything else in general. The precaution was just to be on the safe side, give the thylacine a sense of comfort and ease of mind. This could very well or it could go very, very bad. Either way, he wanted Seth to feel comfortable around him. That -alone- was a tall order.
He'd given Seth some time to reach his end of the island as he bemusingly considered it, but even so, he hadn't seen Seth yet and was beginning to wonder if he thought it was a trap. Given their fractious first meeting, he couldn't fault the man for being suspicious; but Jordan wanted to square things away, given the opportunity, so he kept his hopes up. There were things he wanted to say that needed to said.
He sat nervously on the sand, in his black running shorts. The water was lapping at his hindpaws and he was becoming restless. He was fighting the urge to go swimming or to race up and down on the beach, just to burn off some of the anxious energy. Samoyeds were active dogs and became bored very, very easily, so the waiting game was chewing at the n** of his tail.
He looked so utterly calm and non-hostile that it would strike some as bizarre. At least the ones who'd seen the side of him that had emerged on the island. He was fighting what he was becoming and trying to prevent that part of himself from fading, that side of himself he felt was fading due to the labs' mechanizations.
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:27 pm
"Where the s**t is he..?"
Seth shook his head and wondered the question to himself, turning one ear away from the ocean to get a better listen all around. He had a good nose, and began to put it to use. Turning his snout up to the air, he began to sniff, his nose taking in mostly nothing else but the scent of low tide.
"Bugger...." He grumbled. "Unless..."
There was a craggy rock area on the far side of the beach. He had taken Gaius there just a few days before he had changed yet again. It was a good place to chat, as there were virtually no cameras there at all.
Seth set off down the beach. And soon enough, he noticed... somebody very white. Jordan? He didn't know. He wasn't in the rocky crag area, but near enough. But, it didn't look like Jordan... at least from what he could remember anyway.
"Hie!" He called out to the man. "What are you doing here?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:43 pm
Jordan sighed, feeling like he'd been stood up, but willing to give him ten more minutes and then he was going home. This was proving to be a disappointment. Seth had every reason not to come and he was going to have to deal with that fact if he didn't show. He tucked his head down between the legs he pulled to his chest. Jordan didn't want to think negatively about the man when he had asked him out here for constructive purposes, yet he sighed as he dwelled on what he'd lost. He no longer wanted to be the pariah. Hew didn't want ot be an outcast of the island.
He was in quiet reflection, rubbing the front of his legs while the ocean breeze pushed over him. Jordan wondered how he'd react, if Seth would think he was lying again.. He didn't want to be that monster. The labs were good to him, but had taken so much.
It was then he heard the call from down the beach and looked up. His brow cocked at the sight. Was that Seth? So he'd changed too... fantastic..
Jordan waved a paw back to him but remained quiet for the moment, instead flagging him over.
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:00 pm
Seth was immediately stiff, tense, and wary. Who was this? he really didn't know. The thylacine was wary also, it screamed 'danger, danger!' in his head, but he chose to ignore it and proceed down the beach, toward the strange white animal-man.
"Er, hi there." He said casually. He said nothing of why he was here - he didn't want to make the other man suspicious. It did not occur to him that this man in front of him was Jordan himself. "I'm just... strolling around. How about you?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:12 pm
Was this really Seth?! He looked so different. It was difficult to tell by the face as it wasn't what he remembered. The tail was more recognizable than the face. Just as Jordan didn't immediately know if it was Seth, the thylacine seemed to be having similar trouble knowing who he was. Soon enough Jordan wouldn't know his own reflection. The apprehension rose. He didn't know for sure!
Jordan spoke softly, unlike in their previous meetings. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. "Hi." he gave Seth a soulful look of a man pondering life. "I won't say no to the company, if you want to have a sit." He was afraid to ask if it was Seth...
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:28 pm
Seth shrugged. "Sure, why not. I've nothing else to do for now, so..." He moved down on all fours before sitting his butt down in the sand. "This place is so boring, isn't it. I've got absolutely nothing to do."
He sniffed the air. Jordan's smell was so strong now. The thylacine man raisesd an eyebrow at his company, staring at him for more than a few minutes, finally shaking his head.
"Jordan?" He queried. "I recognise the feet, but.... what the bloody hell happened to you?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:47 pm
He said nothing as the man seated himself on all fours, offering only the slightest shrug to the initial question. So unlike what he remembered of Seth. Jordan studied him as well for the next few minutes as they mutually remained silent in surprise. How was he going to begin this? It sounded like Seth and even smelled like the thylacine.
Jordan was more nervous about their meeting. He didn’t want anything detrimental to happen. This could be his one and only chance to rectify matters peacefully. So he tucked himself in tighter to his body, huddling his white furry body even if it made him uncomfortably hot.
Jordan nodded softly as he tilted his gaze to the sand. “I was worried you wouldn’t show up..” he rested his chin on his knees. “Thank you for coming out here.. I thought it was the only place they wouldn’t hear us..” his voice hadn't -and wouldn't- risen from the soft, civil tone.
A shiver raced up his spine as Jordan gave Seth a pathetic look. He opened his mouth to say more, but the words were caught in his throat. Then Seth would hear the words that would likely kill him and everyone else who hated the labs. "I was so wrong... about a lot of things.." he couldn't face Seth as he said that.
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:21 pm
"Why wouldn't I show up?" He wondered. "I've nothing to fear on this island, nothing at all." He smirked. "If anything, this island would probably fear me, especially now." He lifted his head and yawned, extending his jaws to their full 100° limit as if to prove the point. He shuddered slightly with the movement and closed his jaws again, rubbing his forehead. "I'm fine. I can't say the same for you, though... that coat of fur looks bloody uncomfortable."
He listened carefully to what Jordan was saying, and pulled his lips back in a frown as Jordan stated that he was wrong about a lot of things.
"I hate to be the one who said I told you so," He said, "But I told you so."
"There's not much you can do about it, I'm afraid." He said as casually as he could manage, though he couldn't quite hide the fact he was suspicious. This man had punched him in the face several weeks ago just for stating the truth about the island. He wondered what had happened to bring his opinion around full-swing in the other direction.
"So the Doctor isn't as friendly as you thought he was, ey?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:57 pm
“There’s the first time we met..” he sighed regrettably “and I slugged you.. because I was acting like a stupid twit..” Jordan winced and didn’t doubt Seth would be feared with jaws like that. It looked he was well-equipped to disable anyone who’d be stupid enough to repeat Jordan’s assault, though.. that was unlikely anyone else would be so fanatical.. and then before he could finish the thought, Lauren popped into his head. Yeah.. she wouldn’t hesitate to knock someone’s block off.. “A fur coat this thick on a tropical island is torture.. but it’s nothing compared to this..” Jordan showed Seth the wiggling paws extending from his stomach for a moment before resuming his huddled pose.
“I know.. you warned me.. others warned me.. and I deserve more than an ‘I told you so’ but I guess that I’m getting what’s coming to me, huh..? I’m so ashamed of myself..” he covered his face in his paws, gritting his fangs in frustration. “I asked you to join me out here so I can apologize to you in person.. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done in the name of the labs.. I’ve been terrified of them and what they could do to me, so I tried to be something they wanted. But it’s not what I want.” He finally lifted his head, glancing solemnly towards Seth.
“I didn’t know who else to turn to. I know it has to sound crazy, but I’m serious. I’m scared as hell at what’s happening to me. I broke down a few days ago when I realized everything the labs have taken from me: my humanity, my family, and if I don’t do something soon, I fear my sanity will crumble under what the mental torture I’ve been put through..”
Jordan pulled back the fur on his left arm, revealing the two sloppy injection sites that had left some scarring from the fierce jabbing. “He…” Jordan choked on the emotion that was building “he sent guards to my duplex two weeks ago and told me that I had to inject myself.. I was terrified.. I didn’t want to.. but the alternatives were motivation enough..” he tucked his head between his legs and huffed indignantly.
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:29 pm
Seth initially just listened to Jordan, nodding at his words, seeming rather relaxed and calm. But as Jordan showed him the... things sticking out of his sides, the thylacine instincts went into overdrive. The man almost literally fell over as he sidestepped, jerking back away from Jordan's arms, his eyes fixed on the extra appendages.
"Urrrr-rrrrr rrr!!" He made short quick guttural noises, which almost sounded like coughing barks as he retreated away from the other man. "What the bloody hell are those?!"
"I accept your apology..." He said after a few moments, seeming to calm down, but didn't seem any less wary of the arms. He found himself staring at them as he continued listening to Jordan, gritting his teeth, grimacing at the sight of them.
"The doctor made you inject yourself?" He raised an eyebrow. "What the hell for?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:48 pm
Seth’s reaction was expected. Hell, they freaked Jordan out with their every movement. He was becoming a freak of the doctor’s design. The noises he made and the surprised, defensive aggression put him on edge, but Jordan couldn’t hold that against him. He would have been scared of that sight on anyone else. “I don’t know what’s happening to me.. Moreau said there’s a surprise in my serum..” he rolled his eyes and grumbled. “These things were inside me for six weeks, kicking, moving and waiting to burst free.. they’re paws, just smaller.. I can’t hide them either. I’m hot as hell just wearing shorts.”
“Thank you, Seth.” He nodded in acknowledgment to the acceptance of his apology. “I was hoping that we could even become friends, in time, that is after I’ve earned it. I’m sure it’s hard to trust me. I have to make up for how I’ve acted. I’m treading on thin ice, burning my bridges at both ends and it’s come time for me to choose a side before I’m left with nothing. I’m not exactly in good standing with the labs.”
Jordan tried to keep his freakish appendages hidden in his fur. He didn’t want to disturb Seth more than they disturbed himself. The answer was simple to the thylacine’s last question. “Because he could. Because it’s what he wanted.”
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:03 pm
"That's pretty dumb. And poor reasoning - doing something because he can?" Seth made a disgusted grunting noise. "He sounds as manipulative and as depraved as Doctor Duvert." He paused. "You haven't met him, have you? He's one of the other blokes in charge - crackpot old fool he is. He has a really silly looking top hat, too." He growled, muttering more to himself now. "One day, I'd just like to... knock it off his big fat head..."
Seth made a loud frustrated snort and shook his head. "So you're not in Moreau's good books any more, ey? Does this mean we're not building the statue of him any more?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:37 pm
“I knew of Moreau before I came to the island.. this is his revenge.. I was naïve to think Feral Labs was a better opportunity.. it was a year of hell. I quickly learned of their experimentation on animals and it turned my stomach. I was too afraid to leave, so I did one better. I stole from them. I was going to take classified documents as my way of giving Moreau the big ‘screw you’.” Jordan flashed a fangy grin as if he was actually proud of that- and right now, why not? After Moreau learned he’d failed in retrieving the laptop, his a** was grass. That was as bad or worse than the original offense, so as long as he was screwed there was no harm in disclosing this. “I had an accomplice and we were busted before we could leave that room.” Jordan had nothing to lose and just maybe he was playing for the wrong team.
He had to pause, take a breath, collect his thought. The sounds of the waves crashing on the nearby rocks was soothing. The beach was soothing, in general. The only staff he’d had any contact with was Doctor Moreau. Jordan knew the name Duvert, as it was mentioned a few times by others.
“I’m not sure they’d give me anything more than a swift kick in the a** at this point. I lost something important to them- rather it was stolen from my duplex and I failed to retrieve it. Moreau said it was the same as the original offense that landed me here, so I’m in hot water once I have to deal with that mess.” Jordan shrugged. "Sure, they could punish me, torture me further, even do worse than I can imagine, but as I see it, there're paws coming out of my stomach, so they can sit and rotate." he said that last comment with venomous intent.
Let them find it on their own. He was through injuring himself for them. He was their tool and their pawn for this long, but it was coming to a point where he'd have to decide where he stood.
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