i am a cage in search of a bird

[crocodiline]

[ The figure inside the frosted glass snaps her fingers, and the glass falls away, sliding into grooves in the ground below. Inside, behind additional bulletproof glass, sits a woman, legs up on a transparent glass desk, absentmindedly petting a... whatever this thing is.

Say hello to your mastermind, everyone! ]

Hey there, everyone. Nice to talk to you in person - my name is Cipher, welcome to my city. Sorry I took so long to show up in person. No need to get up on my account - how about we talk business?

[ Let's drive. ]

Comments

[crocodiline]

... Do you really want to know?

[inaclearing]

...I think so, yeah.

[He doesn't have to tell Peregrine. Maybe he shouldn't have even told her the theories he already has. But...well, no one ever accused Brett of being good at letting things go.



also if he's gonna be spending part of the year in Whitetail maybe he should know if werewolves are real in his world]

[crocodiline]

... no, he's dead. If you want the body for... funeral arrangements, give me some drones and a week and I can probably find it for you.

[ She chuckles. ]

As for the second part... well, who knows? You can find all kinds of things when you travel that much.

cw: suicidal ideation but like for howl

[inaclearing]

[Ah, well. Brett...sort of expected that answer, maybe. Not so much the objectively weird response to the werewolf part, but...he just nods after a moment.]

...could you tip off the sheriff's station? I don't know how I'd explain finding him myself. But I think that might do Peregrine some good - I know how much finding Jacob meant to her.

[Howl made his choice. Brett understands it, better now than he did back when he was still clinging to that photo. He won't consider taking that away. But then, he's the only one who did choose.]

If -

[Mmm. He stops. Starts again, and stops again.]

You know people don't just...come back to life, in my world. There's records...funerals. You couldn't just show up with them one day and say it was all a mistake.

[So...what exactly is she offering?]