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[blackhat]

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[blackhat]

[ William stops what he’s doing to check the caller ID. ]

Too big?

[ His earnest concern is buffeted by a brisk wind, scratchy and hollow over a slick mechanical clack, ring and rattle. Brass on concrete. ]

I told her to give you benefit of the doubt.

[slightlyoffchilt]

No, it isn't too big. [Practically hissed from his mouth. Too on the dot, maybe.] What had possessed you?

[blackhat]

Figured it’d mean more if it was -- [ he's careful with his word choice ] -- from the heart.

Pull.

[ Careful up 'til that last bit, which is louder. ]

[slightlyoffchilt]

Is this -- [His anger stuttering, Chilton felt as if he had already spun back to defense.] Because of Teddy? This show of dominance?

[Pull. It made him uneasy.]

[blackhat]

[ The only immediate reply is the powder blast of a shotgun dusting a clay pigeon. Then again, a few seconds later. ]

Everything’s always dominance with you, Frederick. [ Clack, ring, rattle. ]

I’m startin’ to think you have some kind of complex.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Oh! For! Fuck's sake!

[Guess who has only been to a shooting range a couple times, and it was only in this world. With Will Graham.]

You could have told me this was a bad time!

[And yet, William had picked up. And Chilton thought that meant he was special.]

[blackhat]

Could have, [ the man in black agrees. ]

You need something or were you just calling to thank me?

[slightlyoffchilt]

You crossed a boundary. Raina found it, she was asking how you knew such detail.

[blackhat]

Hell, it’s not like I painted it.

[ William sniffs, unruffled for Frederick's plight. ]

I just told her where to put the scars.

[slightlyoffchilt]

You involve yourself in the lives of others in order to escape whatever disappointments you carry in your own. Easier to find meaning when you have the benefit of outside perspective, isn't it?

[A gift paid with undesired analysis, verbally delivered.]

For example -- the scars. [His scars, but he doesn't take ownership of them.] You fixate. Because they hint at a story.

[blackhat]

[ William doesn’t have a quick answer for that.

Best he can do is smooth over it with a late: ]

Pull.

[slightlyoffchilt]

God -- [Chilton, at least, knew to pull away the phone from his ear this time around. The ringing from the first time round had only just died down.]

Stare into the abyss, William, and it is going to stare back. That is what I do.

[blackhat]

All my soul within me burning, [ William mutters.

The shotgun reports as anticipated -- once, and then twice. ]

You sure you’re the abyss?

[slightlyoffchilt]

You have a better description?

[Ruffled feathers, acidic tone.]

[blackhat]

[ He has to think about it, gun broken open with a well-oiled clack. ]

You ever heard of a 'candiru'?

[slightlyoffchilt]

[Snippy, his vowels sharp:] No, I have not. I don't even know what that is and I'm already offended.

[blackhat]

It’s a type of fish. [ Spent shells out, fresh cartridges in. ]

Listen, Frederick, I gotta get off the phone with you. You’re throwin' off my aim.

[slightlyoffchilt]

What the --

[Guess who HAS a GOOGLE.]

What!

That is the dick fish! How dare you call me a dick fish! Don't you hang up on me, William, do not hang up! On Me!

[blackhat]

I’ll talk at you later, [ says William, smooth as dust through the indignation.

He hangs up. ]