IC INBOX; MoM

[pushtheboundaries]

"You've reached Robert Callaghan, Headmaster to the Heropa Organization for imPort Education. Please leave a message with your name, your phone number, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. As a reminder, my office hours are..."

Comments

[pushtheboundaries]

I didn't plan it beforehand, if that's what you're asking. [he sounds vaguely annoyed, but- at himself?] But it wasn't an accident.

[hostage]

[Jesse's not going to bother asking if Callaghan's sorry. He doesn't really give a shit if he is.]

The kid who's gunning for you now... Sounds like he wants to take away your second chance. Sounds like another person coming after something that belongs to you. What're you gonna do about that?

[pushtheboundaries]

Nothing.

That 'kid' is responsible for bringing that 'something' back to me.

[hostage]

Good. 'cause if anything happened to him, or somebody he cares about... You're not stupid. You know what people would think.

[pushtheboundaries]

If anything happened to him, or somebody he cared about, I would be the first in line to investigate the source.

I owe him that. And more.

[beat]

Anything else you'd like to ask about, while you're on the line?

[hostage]

Do you care about the school, or are our kids just your insurance policy?

[pushtheboundaries]

Insurance-?! I've never hidden behind anyone!

[wow, you just. legit. offended him.]

If I have a chance of keeping someone from making half as stupid a set of choices as I did, you can damn well bet I'm going to put forth the effort!

[hostage]

[Dryly:]

Inspiring.

[pushtheboundaries]

I'd imagine. [god, he is such a shit public speaker unless it's about science. have another frustrated noise.]

If that kid came on to campus demanding blood, I might not give it to him, but I wouldn't put our kids in danger. If there was some other sort of fallout that'd threaten them, I'd do what I needed to to keep them safe.

Does that make you feel better? They have nothing to do with what's between Hiro and I. Or- anyone else from San Fransokyo.

[hostage]

Does it make me feel better? No, Robert, that doesn't make me feel better. Talk is cheap. I'll believe it when I see it.

But you're not the only killer who's ever worked at Xavier's.

[Not by a long shot.]

[pushtheboundaries]

[and there's a sharp intake of breath that implies that he was not expecting that last comment. the first, maybe, but-



god help him, but he can't make a deadpan comment;]

It should become a mandatory question for admission. One of the faculty can tell when someone's lying, can't she?

[hostage]

[Please.]

There wouldn't even be a school if that was how we did things.

We protect our own. That's the important thing.

[pushtheboundaries]

[...Jesse can't be implying what he thinks he is. he'll move on to the more likely.]

The kids.

As I said, they're safe. As safe as I can keep them, that is, with all the chaos this place holds.

[hostage]

[The kids had better be safe, or else Callaghan is going to be Jesse's science experiment: How well do nanites stand up to hydrofluoric acid?

He won't make a threat over the phone, however. And it's likely unnecessary. Cal gets it.]

As long as you keep that promise, you're not alone, either.

[pushtheboundaries]

[um?]

I'd hope not, it's a big job.

[he's not outright playing dumb, he just- doesn't want to assume something that seems so outlandish]

[hostage]

Yeah.

Don't fuck it up.

[pushtheboundaries]

I've done enough of that. [so very bland.] I think it's time for a change.

[hostage]

[Jesse is skeptical. But time will tell. If Emma Frost gave him the benefit of the doubt, then other people deserve the same.]

I'll be in California a couple days, but call me if you need anything.

[pushtheboundaries]

...all right. Though I'll be taking it easy the next couple of days.

[hostage]

Good plan.