The Long Journey Home

2: We chase after moments, and are caught by them too

[ Chapter note: TFATWS episode 1x03 ]

"Selby will see you now."

He looks again, scanning quickly. The ghost from his past is gone.

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          The man has been texting more than he's spoken in the brief time you've been acquainted. Understandable, you suppose, considering what you'd witnessed unfolding downstairs – but still. After reassuring you that the interview would carry on unaffected... Chalk it up to another thing you'll never get used to about the goings on in Madripoor.

          He pauses after reading something from the screen of the device that looks tiny compared to the size of his hands. It's a wonder he can type out messages as quickly as he does. "Sokovian."

          Yes. That's what you said – redundant confirmation of the loose bits of information already given when you set up the meeting. "Is that a problem?" You hadn't intended on sounding so defensive, but maybe the question was rooted more in relation to Baron Zemo, and friends, and the fight that had broken out.

          "No." The phone buzzes again and he glances down, reading something as he elaborates – without really giving much additional information, "It's interesting."

          Interesting. His word choice isn't really comforting, given the situation. Neither is the fact that the sounds of the club are muted to almost non-existent beyond the periodically changing thump of the bassline. Anything could happen, and probably has, in this room with the outside world being none-the-wiser. What are you getting yourself into? Better question: how can you make it clear you have nothing to do with anything your former employer was busy stirring up?

          "How many languages can you speak?"

          You swallow down the tangled explanation you were trying to weave into being to focus on the answer he seems to be waiting for. "Fifteen." Maybe you should go into detail about how it was part of the job you held before the world changed – which you were fluent in and which you could manage your way through – or that you were working on number sixteen – or did any of that matter...