TSW 15: John Talks With His Father

	IcePickLobotomy	July 3rd, 3:20.
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker knocks on your door. "John, phone call for you. Your father wants to speak with you privately. You can speak to him in my office, he's waiting on the line for you."
	JohnH	"Be right there ma'am"
	JohnH	heads to the office and grabs the phone, with no worry
	IcePickLobotomy	"No rush, It's my day off." Walker says
	IcePickLobotomy	"John, how are you doing son?"
	JohnH	"Not terrible. All things considered"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Good good, I heard that the last few fights were rather rough."
	JohnH	"For the intruders, maybe." John pauses "And for my squad"
	IcePickLobotomy	"You've been doing well from what I've heard."
	JohnH	"I'll have to trust you've heard correctly. I can't really say how well it's been, knowing that we're losing entire city blocks. People are dying."
	IcePickLobotomy	"People always die. What matters is making it worth it in the end." He sounds tired as he says this "But that's not a way to live either."
	JohnH	"I wouldn't live any other way. You know that."
	IcePickLobotomy	(John saying he wouldn't live that way, or that the only way he would live would be "Make their deaths mean something" ?)
	JohnH	(Make their deaths mean something. For the good of the cause-esque)
	IcePickLobotomy	"No John that's not livable. Trust me, it. . . " He sighs "Jesus son, that'll wear you down to nothing in no time at all. You've got a bright future ahead of you."
	JohnH	"Someone's got to make sure the future is there for all of us. I don't want to die, I hope you know that. I just want to make sure that if I have to, it's for a good reason"
	IcePickLobotomy	There is a very long pause in the conversation. "Promise you'll live as much as you can then."
	JohnH	"I will live as long and as well as I possibly can."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Your team got your back?"
	JohnH	hesitates for a second "Yeah."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Don't like that pause there."
	JohnH	"We work well as a team in combat. It's the day to day that isn't so great sometimes."
	JohnH	"It's not like normal life on base. Nobody here does PT except me and Kasra"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Hmmm. What else?"
	JohnH	"I live in a house, have my own room. It's just an odd place to be for something that is so top secret and high risk."
	IcePickLobotomy	"METI always was a odd bunch." You can hear him take a drink "Used to work for 'em you see."
	JohnH	"Doing what?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Jesus. . . You're old enough to die for me, I say that's old enough for me to be honest if you'd like to hear, but it ain't gonna be pretty."
	JohnH	"I'm old enough to die, but not old enough to drink. How ironic. Well, let's hear it then. I'd hate to not know my dad's dark past"
	IcePickLobotomy	"John, you decide to drink just make sure you do it responsible." Another drink, longer this time. "METI is still divided up into sections. Science Section, Tactical Operations Section, so on and so forth. I worked in the Sanitation Section."
	JohnH	"My dad. Cleaning up giant robot turds. How about that."
	IcePickLobotomy	"I was in Brazil when it all went to hell. Where the Red Death started. Can't say why or what I was doing, but METI formed not too long after that. Two sections, SciDiv, working on how to counter the plague, and SanDiv, working on fighting it on the ground. Burning it out. Sanitizing the area. Damn clean word for some fucking flithy work, but it had to be done. God, let it have been necessary."
	JohnH	goes silent, remembering the dreams
	IcePickLobotomy	"Those rumors about black operations in New York that massacred and burned out entire blocks? Towns burned to the ground and the inhabitants killed to stop the plague? True, all true."
	IcePickLobotomy	"God forgive me, it was on my orders."
	JohnH	"You did what had to be done, I'm sure of it"
	IcePickLobotomy	"I only pray that you're right John. But a man can only do so much of that. I got out, raised you and Anna as best I could. Try and put some good into the world instead of taking out the bad. Still got friends in METI, so I get word back on how you're doing."
	JohnH	"I'll do my best to be as good as I can. I can only hope that history doesn't repeat itself, I don't know if I could do what you did."
	IcePickLobotomy	"You're a strong man John, and I'm damn proud of you. I hope you never have to test your limits." Another drink "Mind doing me a favor?"
	JohnH	"Anything"
	IcePickLobotomy	"That girl on your team, the russian one? Her family got caught up in one hell of a political shit storm. Their making her younger sister a pilot, it was her or Anna, and I still had enough pull to keep your sister out of it. Let her know I'm sorry for my part in that."
	JohnH	"I will"
	IcePickLobotomy	"And remind Artyom about Seattle. He'll know what I mean."
	JohnH	"Uhh, sure thing?" John sounds confused but not inquisitive
	IcePickLobotomy	"Thank you. If you ever want to talk just call."
	JohnH	"Of course. But don't let me get away before I ask how things are at the homestead"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Things are fine. Your mother and sister are visiting her grandparents. So for the next few days it's me and the dog. That damn trout got away. Again."
	JohnH	"Life as usual. Can't say I don't miss it"
	IcePickLobotomy	"It's good that you don't. But take advantage of the city life while you're there."
	JohnH	(John totally just admitted to missing home)
	IcePickLobotomy	(Yeap)
	JohnH	(Is that a typo, then? Or am I just dumb. Because that's also possible)
	IcePickLobotomy	(It's not a typo. He's saying "It's good that you miss home a bit." )
	JohnH	(I think I'm having a dumb)
	IcePickLobotomy	( *patpats*
	JohnH	"I've seen a bit of the city. Watched some guy get mugged, but the russian girl dragged me out before I could stop the mugger"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Hmm, she sounds lively."
	JohnH	"That's classified, dad"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Hah!" He barks out a short laugh "You sweet on her then? Real looker from what I've heard."
	JohnH	"Classified, just like everything else I'm doing here. You know that" John says sternly
	IcePickLobotomy	"Bingo. Well I approve. Russians are a lovely people really."
	JohnH	"I'll take your word for it" John won't budge, regardless of how obvious it is he's hiding something
	IcePickLobotomy	He chortles again. "Well I promise not to tell your mother."
	JohnH	"There's nothing to tell"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Then I will say nothing about this nothing then."
	JohnH	"About what."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Exactly."
	JohnH	smiles
	IcePickLobotomy	"And John?" The humor vanishes "Not a word about my. . . work experience to anyone. If you need to talk to someone about it you can tell Artyom, he's trustworthy. Walker doesn't know about it, and I'd appreciate it if it stayed that way."
	JohnH	"Of course."
	IcePickLobotomy	"I wouldn't have told you if I didn't trust you, but it's important to make things clear regardless."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Anything else on your end?"
	JohnH	"Well, maybe you can give me some advice"
	JohnH	"Before I take this to the commander, anyway"
	IcePickLobotomy	"On what topic, or is this more generally speaking?"
	JohnH	"Yes."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Cheeky brat." There's no heat there
	JohnH	"One of my squadmates has been acting odd. Not up for the usual activities. Saw some blood on their arms the other day."
	IcePickLobotomy	". . . You get a look at the injury itself?"
	JohnH	"Not really, no. Just looked like a cut of some kind"
	IcePickLobotomy	"And when did this happen?"
	JohnH	"couple days ago"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Do your superiors and medical staff know about this?"
	JohnH	"If you've heard anything, I'd love to know...unless its classified of course"
	JohnH	"One of the doctors does, but I don't know who else"
	JohnH	"Probably walker"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Then it's probably being taken care of but double check with Walker. As for your friend, be supportive of him but not too pushy. If he's feeling down try and be there but don't make him feel bad if he's not doing as well as he normally is. People react to stress in their own ways and there's no shame in taking a hard job badly, it's just like getting injured but in your spirit, understand?"
	JohnH	(John never specified it was a male, just fyi)
	JohnH	"I understand"
	IcePickLobotomy	(EDITOR NOTE: Change "he" to "They/their" )
	IcePickLobotomy	"Good. There anything else?"
	JohnH	(Dad, how do I talk to girls)
	JohnH	"No, I think I'm good. Anything from you"
	IcePickLobotomy	(Look them dead in the eye and go "Girl, I'm dead sexy, work out, and wear a uniform. Let's Bang.")
	IcePickLobotomy	"See you around then."
	JohnH	"Stay safe"
	IcePickLobotomy	"I will."
	IcePickLobotomy	The phone link clicks. The dial tone crackles with static for a moment.
	JohnH	hangs up the phone, almost sullenly