controlledvariable | exsilium; ic inbox

[There we go; it's good to have something to focus on, even if she still sounds a bit exhausted.]

Yeah, it's not quite the same line you're going with, I'm thinking more of the regular Masked than the powered ones, but I figure we can pool our resources on it. You've done good work so far.

[Just...

She wants to reassure him, because he has done good work, and she doesn't know if people have told him that.]

Thanks. Let's hope it pays off. [It's soft, but genuine. People have told him that he's doing good work, but it helps every time. He never knew how much it mattered to go home to people who loved him and talked things through with him and supported him at the end of the day until they were gone.]

The Masked are connected to the powered ones anyway. Everything's connected, one way or another.

We'll make sure it does.

[It's not cocky, there's just a quiet sort of confidence.

Saul is probably looking at her a bit funny right now, but...

People not trusting her isn't new; it hurts that it was Collette, but she can deal with this the same way she always deals with people doubting her.

She can prove them wrong.]

You're right. If we can get rid of the Masked, it'll mean we don't need to worry about the powered ones.

[So... that's her plan.]

[He may not share Steph's confidence, but man, is it ever good to hear it.]

Exactly. We've already got history of them using cloning for their food and for growing organs, so we still need to be careful about exactly where we hit 'em, but we've got a start.

[He takes a deep breath.] But we have to remember that if we go through with this, we're erasing lives. The clones weren't doing this willingly. They were asking for help.

That's why I plan on doing the recon first, I'm not exactly a strategist, but having the information is the first step.

[She considers the next point a little more carefully, thinking about what Max said to her, about vigilante ethics and how they don't work in a war.

She doesn't want Jaime to go through the same thing she did.]

I haven't forgotten. If we can help them in other ways, we will, but we need to look at all our options.

[And if it gets to the point where she needs to... cut Jaime out of the decision making process so that he doesn't have to feel guilty about whatever comes, she will.]

Yeah. Okay. Just... making sure.

[He has no idea what his announcement is going to look like. He wishes he had a proposal prepared, but instead he's only got an assembly of ideas and facts.

Man, this turned into business in a hurry, didn't it?]

Anyway, I'll let you go now. Try to actually sleep sometime, yeah?

I slept for like ten hours straight the other day, you don't have to worry about that.

[There's something like a smile in her voice, trying to be reassuring.]

Thanks for getting in touch, Jaime. Take care, okay?

Yeah, you too. Talk to you soon.

[Annnnd disconnect!]