( day 5 )

[tearable]

[ As soon as Elizabeth could, the morning of Day 5, she is out looking for Angel. Her room? The lounge? The bathrooms? No, no, no. She's hurrying as much as she can because there's only a limited amount of time she can catch her without onlookers.

There's some insistence, an urgency in the way she's hobbling sorely around. Elizabeth has some important things to discuss and it's not until she gets the notion to check into areas where Angel may be: the tech lab.

Lucky her, she gets what she's looking for. Upon approaching...? Her eyes are wide at the sight she sees, the girl laying on the floor. Her heart sinks and she thinks... she thinks she discovered a dead body. Rushing forward, she carefully drops to her knees, touching at the girl with a firmness of a shake - and soon trying to find a pulse. ]

Miss!? Miss! Wake up! Angel -

[ She's a little frantic. RIP Liz's week. ]

Comments

[injectors]

Scientists?

[The term is a little jarring, memories of events long past coming to mind — but she refuses to linger on them for too long. She shouldn't be surprised. Even before Luke was revealed as staff, she had already talked about the possibility of all of this being one big experiment with the other residents. And now, knowing Elizabeth's particular skill... Perhaps the bit about "organic and partially organic" in the files she had uncovered makes more sense.]

If I could offer a word of advice, be careful when placing your trust in a unit. We know now there's a 50/50 chance of an apartment having one member of the staff. [Four staff members left, eight apartments still in use.] And I'm sure you're a good judge of character, but even if Bigby, Alfendi and Shijima have shown a willingness to help... Such intent could easily be faked.

[Don't yiff the mafia, Liz. Don't do it. (Alternatively: Do it and win me this bet.)

That said:]

Should you discover one of the staff, do you have the means to reveal their identity without showing your hand?

[tearable]

Unfortunately, so. Those types only see research - an end goal filled with data. Judy gave me the down and dirty on that.

[ It seems like one big experiment. Elizabeth's seen it before- experienced it. They were cruel to keep that memory so neatly packaged in her brain, she thinks. Elizabeth doesn't like this, but this is how it has to play. She has to take these risks and at the very least? Angel and Alice are confirmed innocent. ]

I know, but there's a reward that comes with it. I'm trying to be calculative... to make the right choices but if that was the case, I wouldn't act.

[ Implying she's not going to yiff Bigby to hell and back. :( ]

I ... I don't. They're playing the subtle game and the only thing to do is push the discussion. If we have a net of people - we can blanket the 'blame' so no one is targeted. If our "medical team" had some brains, they'd protect the most viable for being targeted by mafia...

[ She smiles a bit, as if coming to terms with her own realization. ]

It just takes finding one and then they're down to three. We can outnumber them - we have to.

[injectors]

[Well. It seems they're both remembering the same sort of events. Being seen as a test subject. Having their "data" collected, information about their abilities and growth neatly jotted down and organized for the benefit of a man who only wished to empower himself. It's far too similar to what she's experienced over the last nine years, and she finds herself speaking impulsively.]

I refuse to be seen as a... a subject. If they want to collect my data, they'll have to do it on my terms.

[During the first two days, she felt like she was free. Like she had somehow, miraculously, escaped her prison. Escaped her father. But that's not the case. Not really. It's more like she's been given a bigger "throne;" she's still locked, she just has more leg room now.]

Use me to keep attention off yourself. My life is expendable, but your role — it may be the key to helping us escape this place. If you discover one, allow me to reveal their identity. There may be more of us than there are of them, but they don't operate by the same rules we do. We can't take any unnecessary risks.

[tearable]

[ TW: prisoners is this ship name.

As Angel speaks up, Elizabeth will nod in satisfaction. That's the kind of thing she likes to hear - the will to fight. Selfishly, she has to wonder if the girl was similar to her... imprisoned like she had been, but she won't comment. ]

And we won't let them. The second you accept that status, the circle will never be unbroken.

[ Elizabeth does seem shocked at Angel's comment - it's.. no.. she waves her hand dismissively. ]

No way. I didn't ask for this, but I'm not going to let someone take the fall for me. This is a cross I have to bear.

[ Elizabeth sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. ]

We just need a mob - a face they can't single out. If it comes down to it, I'd like to avoid dying as much as anyone else... but no - if there's no fighting it. I can't ask that of you.