Defection AU second half B

The guard is slightly taken aback by Artyom's serious and earnest conviction, but he's still uneasy. "You still have to wait." He says after a moment's hesitation, and Artyom's heart fucking drops into the pit of his stomach. How can he wait? How long will he have to wait? He's still got a good chunk of his MGR savings with him, but how much of it will he have to blow in money-hungry Hanza just to survive while he waits out his turn to the station-

His panic spiral is interrupted by the guard continuing only a moment later, "You don't really seem like the type to lie about that. I'll have an urgent message sent to the Comrade Major. If you really are telling the truth, he can come bail you out and bring you in. Okay?"

Artyom's eyes go wide, and hope surges through his veins again. Wetting his dry lips with his tongue, Artyom nods eagerly. But then, just as the guard is about to turn away, probably to do as he claimed, Artyom fumbles with his clipboard once more, and has to grab his elbow to regain his attention. The guard looks at him funny and Artyom starts to write quickly, "In your message, please tell him this very specifically, it's important and will definitely bring him here."

The guard nods after reading, waiting, and Artyom continues. "Tell him, 'there is a Musketeer looking for Athos'. He will know what it means. And please, consider it urgent."

Honestly, this exchange just about tempts the guard to just let Artyom in. That's too specific for him to not have been telling the truth... but also now Artyom's gone and made him curious. The guard agrees, and Artyom is gently shooed away while he retreats into the station, probably to have the message sent. Artyom can only hope the messenger is particularly speedy, as he sighs, and goes to... find someplace dry and not too lumpy or cold to sit and wait. If he has to wait long, he supposes he can sleep here, maybe occasionally fetch food back in Hanza...


Pavel, meanwhile, after [an amount of time] will get a messenger at his door, claiming an urgent message has arrive for him from the Hanza-Red Line border. A piece of paper with a description of a short young man with dark hair and a lot of belongings, asking for him, that says 'there is a Musketeer looking for Athos'. Will Pavel now hustle his way to the border, to find an incredibly tired young man sitting on off to the side of the tunnel, knees drawn up and arms folded over them, head resting on them with his face buried in the crook of his elbow, and surrounded by all these bags, a heavily laden backpack and equally heavily laden duffelbags- there's even a guitar strapped to the fucking backpack! The poor guy may be dozing by the time Pavel arrives at the gate, to boss his way through and meet with the only other person in the world who would've ever called himself Pavel's fellow Musketeer...