Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse

[out_of_time]

WHO: Jack Bauer and Geddoe
WHERE: One of the bars Geddoe goes to that doesn't mind sword-wielding medieval mercenaries as customers.
WHEN: Evening of the 21st.
WARNINGS: Discussion of violence.
SUMMARY: Jack and Geddoe decided they needed to do something together that didn't involve killing people for once.
FORMAT: Paragraph.

Jack needed a break. Vulcanus, the riot aftermath, the Black Tear Rebellion, the Mayor's assassination, these new kidnappings- it didn't stop, and the continuing tension was starting to get to him. Even if it was just for a few hours, he needed to take some time to do something that wasn't reacting to a crisis.

But he'd always had trouble walking away from his work and its demands, and tonight was no exception. Even going out to a bar on a Sunday evening had a professional angle to it: Jack and Geddoe kept ending up fighting alongside each other, and even though the merc wasn't a cop they worked damn well together. Geddoe was maybe a friend, but definitely an asset, one he wanted to cultivate and learn more about so he could use him better. Maybe Jack would actually manage to relax in the bargain, but as always personal considerations were secondary for him. When he showed up at Geddoe's bar to meet him for a drink, he might as well have still been in the office.

Comments

[out_of_time]

Jack had the poor fortune to be taking a drink when Geddoe spoke. There was a bit of sputtering.

"A hundred and thirteen?" He stared at Geddoe and set his drink down. Given the people he worked with, the first explanation that came to mind was: "Are you not human, then?"

[trueltning_fury]

Geddoe shook his head. "Plain old human. This..." He lifted his right hand and waggled his fingers to indicate the Rune inside it. "...gives me eternal life."

He couldn't help but crack a wry little smirk. "I figured maybe it was time you knew just how much experience I had."

[out_of_time]

Jack managed to smirk back. "It explains a lot, really. The way you handle yourself, the way you fight." He looked at the hand, thinking about what it meant. "You're really going to live forever?"

[trueltning_fury]

"That depends." Geddoe made a bit of a face. "I can still be killed easily. Swords and arrows - and firearms, I suppose - will prove my mortality. I simply don't age, and don't get ill. Barring a mistake in battle, I could conceivably just keep on living."