[closed] a long time ago, we used to be friends

[directed]

Who: Ray Palmer and Rip Hunter
Where: The fifth floor bar / Ray's workshop
When: July 12th (prior to the event)
Rating: R probably? Character suffering and death
Summary: Ray has refused to give up his belief that Rip can be saved. That faith comes with a high price.
The Story:

[I just want to talk, Rip. You pick the place. I won't even bring my suit.

So the message had gone. Honestly, he's tempted to ignore it regardless, to chalk it up to Ray's usual attempts to push him towards some ridiculous notion of friendship or camaraderie--but Rip's a bit too careful for that. While this could easily turn out to be more of Dr. Palmer's antics, a direct to recipient cereal delivery or lord only knows what else, there could be something more. Perhaps Raymond has put together what he considers a plan--and if so, then Rip should take the opportunity to discover just what he (and the others, potentially), have plotted.

He's in the fifth floor bar before he sends the reply to tell Raymond to meet him there. It's less used these days to be sure, which suits his purposes well enough. Moreover, he can see the single entrance clearly from the table he's seated at, meaning any element of surprise the Legends might attempt to gain is hindered from the start.

Not that he knows if they're coming; Rip simply understands the importance of planning for it. After everything, he can't accept on good faith that they'll simply leave him alone, no matter how much sense it makes.

He doesn't drink. Merely waits quietly, biding his time by glancing over the network until Ray arrives.]

Comments

[shrinkage]

[ the saddest thing is that ray had actually started to throw his hands up before he hit the floor. he'd bought his own pitch.

an arrow to the chest-- well, he can't say that had been painless. but it hadn't hurt immediately, and it'd sent him into unconsciousness astoundingly quickly. these days, he so often tromps around with indestructible armor strapped to his body that maybe he'd just forgotten he wasn't quite so indestructible. now the only thought for the suit he has is gratitude that it's currently hanging around sarah's neck.

it takes him awhile to speak, pushing up to his elbows and holding his stomach and breathing too heavily. ]

Rip... you don't want to do this. Think about it, it's not like home.

[directed]

[The wristband falls forgotten, right along with Ray as he crumples to the ground. It gives Rip a few moments to take another look around the lab, this time for something a bit more specific. He knows what a cognitive intrusion device looks like; though he'd never made use of it, the equipment has all been aboard the Waverider, since long before he made the mistake of inviting the Legends aboard his ship. It's not something easily hidden, and when Rip sees no sign of the chairs, he gives his attention back to Ray.

Though likely not in the manner the man hopes.]

What I want, Dr. Palmer, is the location of the cognitive intrusion machine. [His steps are steady as he makes his way over to the man, deliberate and loud. He wants Ray to know he's coming; equally, he wants the man to see the gun he's still got in his hand.]

Where have you hidden it?

[shrinkage]

[ the adrenaline's only going to last so long. ray tries to brace against the pain and scramble toward one of the workstations before rip's footsteps bring him into view. ]

Ah, that. Sure, yeah it's uhh, oh man. [ he grits his teeth and scoots under a desk, burning ripping through his abdomen. contrasting his casual words, he can't hide the straining in his voice. ] Where did I put that thing? Darn this mess...

[directed]

[Darn this mess, Raymond says, and Rip lets out an annoyed sigh at the man's attempt to stall. He's got little doubt that there's some weapon the man to means to employ, if only he might be able to reach it--which leaves it to Rip to ensure Ray doesn't. He turns a corner just after Ray manages to crawl his way under a desk; in some ways, it's not so different than hunting Jax down in the Waverider had been.

And in that case, there had been one very specific means that left Rip finding his desired ends.]

If you won't tell me, then I'll have no choice but to ask someone else. [He's careful as he approaches the desks now; leaning this way and that, crouching as he needs to in order to look under the workstations, but always with his guard up.] Someone you care about; someone you trust.

Someone who would tell me absolutely anything I wanted to know, if only for the hope that it might save the man she loves.

[shrinkage]

[ the door to the room ray shares with sarah slams shut, thick hunks of metal thudding into place and locking. ]

Funny thing about that, actually.

[ he can't help the fear and pain in his labored voice, but he can still sound like an absolute dickhead. the burning sensation in his belly has been intensifying, and he's started to lose feeling in his arm -- he's pretty sure shock is going to set in at any minute. but he'd spent a long time in a world where 'little shit' was a native tongue. ]

You're kinda predictable. She's already sure you'll kill me. Guess I owe her dinner, now.

[directed]

[His attention turns towards the sound, of course. Clever, although only a temporary measure. Still, credit where it is due; Ray has managed to keep Rip from his goal for now.]

You'll owe her a fair deal more than that, I'm afraid. If I kill you now, that gives me two days.

[He reaches the workstation where Ray's voice seems to come from. Carefully, because he thinks of Jax, all those traps he set aboard the Waverider, Rip kneels down, gun aimed and ready to fire at the first hint of further cleverness on Ray's part.]

Tell me, Dr. Palmer; were you with the party that found Dr. Mid-Nite in the year 3000?

[shrinkage]

[ the keyboard he'd used slides off of ray's lap, his only intention for it now complete. he tries not to panic, but the adrenaline's wearing off and he's got no more plan. he'd hoped to strike something good left in rip.

maybe he'd just been going about it the wrong way. ]

You know what? Go ahead and do your best Savage impression. But I think you'll find Sarah actually fights back.

[directed]

[He lets out a huff of laughter then; oh, but that is something new: comparing Rip to Vandal Savage, of all people.

Unfortunately, Rip doesn't seem to be too swayed by the tactic. If Ray is expecting Rip to be shocked from his current path, he'll be quite disappointed.]

Because she has your ATOM suit, correct? [It's a guess, but a reasonable enough one, he suspects. If Rip truly is as predictable as claimed, then Ray would want to protect the one he cares for most.

It's admirable--and equally, futile.]

Which I've already disabled before. [Leaving Ray helplessly small, unable to do much more than run through the vents of the Waverider.] Do you truly wish to take the chance that I won't be able to do so again?

Do you want the weight of her suffering and her death to be on your shoulders--just like Anna's?

[shrinkage]

[ he'd hoped for the miranda slight to land harder, and he can't help but flinch at rip's guess. he has no response to it, only a sullen glare that turns into a pained snarl when anna's name comes out of his mouth. ]

Shut up.

[ his vision blurs, and ray blinks hard against it. ]

You're not that stupid. Kill me, the mansion won't blink. You so much as look at her wrong...

[ ray's not the only one who loves her. ]

[directed]

And you'll still never forgive yourself.

[Rip's already begun digging his own grave; the Legends will no doubt see Rip's actions as provocation, never mind that Ray had been the one to somehow procure a device designed to purposely invade and manipulate the mind of another. He knows as much, which is why he focuses no on his own fate should Sarah come to harm, but Ray's.]

Because you'll have done everything in your power to save her and failed--except for the one thing that would have made a difference, that you could have done all along. Now, you may think you know what it means to live with that kind of burden, but trust me, Ray.

[The man who had his choice of the whole of history to find heroes to help. The man who knew all along when the fragments of the Spear had been hidden, and how to find them.

The man who in the end, chose principles over his family.]

You have no idea.

So don't give me reason to use her against you. Just tell me where the device is, and this can end here and now.

[shrinkage]

[ he's so angry, but ray can't tell if he's shaking from blood loss or emotion. he reminds himself: sarah's surrounded by her family. she's friends with vampires, and devils, and mages. she's argued with mad scientists and none of it comes close to the childhood she'd endured.

he coughs and tastes blood, the sharp tear of pain making him clutch his stomach again. ]

Fine. [ he breathes heavy, and coughs again. his voice drops out for a moment, as he tries to say the location. ] ...underneath.

[directed]

[Angry, powerless, dying: in the end Rip doesn't care. The only thing that matters is the location of the CI machine, which Ray seems at last willing to give up. Unfortunately, he's a bit far gone at this point. Rip sighs in a quiet moment of frustration, then reaches a hand out to slap Ray's cheek.]

Don't go drifting off on me quite yet, Dr. Palmer. [Drifting off, as if it's something so harmless facing him now.] Underneath what?

[shrinkage]

[ he doesn't have the energy to flinch from the touch. ray does stumble over his words a little more, struggling to find the right one. ]

It's below-- [ he shakes his head and finally seems to find rip's eyes. ] You know. Where the sun don't shine.

[directed]

[…Really, Raymond?

Rip looks anything but amused as Ray offers up his answer. Given the man hadn't been able to stop Rip's insistent tapping, no doubt he'll be unable to move his body properly either. There's no choice to it then; he sets the gun down, outside of Dr. Palmer's reach, then grips the man's waist to turn him over, uncovering the floor space beneath where Ray had been laying.

None of this is done gently; unsurprisingly, Rip isn't concerned with Ray's pain.]

[shrinkage]

[ he can't yelp anymore, and so just groans in pain. it hurts. everything hurts. well, except for his numbed arm. that just feels cold, now.

in spite of the pain and the lack of feeling, ray starts to chuckle. the blood backing up into his body gurgles as he's tipped unceremoniously over. he never liked jackson pollock much. he spits, and keeps laughing as shock starts to take him over. ]

Guess Thawne removed your sense of humor too, huh?

[directed]

[He scoffs, releasing Ray to fall to the floor once more.]

Or perhaps I was hoping your stubborn pride wouldn't outweigh your better judgement.

[All the more foolish, he supposes, for assuming Ray might make the smarter choice for once. He picks up his gun and stands once more; it likely won't be long before Ray actually does bleed out, but Rip does have one more question to ask before he goes tearing about the workshop.]

Do you really think you've accomplished anything by this?

[shrinkage]

Well I got-- [ he chuckles again until he starts to cough. he keeps getting quieter. quieter, still. ] --got you to hope.

[directed]

[Ever the optimist—and equally, ever the fool.

Rip leaves Ray then. Expecting the man too far gone to be able to do anything of consequence, he devotes his time to tearing the workshop apart. He means to find the cognitive intrusion device, and Rip isn't gentle as he goes about it. Whatever progress Ray has made, even in areas where Rip has an interest, Rip means to shatter.

His frustration only mounts with each minute that goes by, and the device still left unlocated and in play. Unfortunately his luck doesn't change for the better before too much time passes, and Rip is forced to vacate the room.

What started off as an annoyingly redundant conversation has turned into something far more vexing by the time Rip walks away.]