everyonelives | Then we get terrified, like children waking in the dark, we don't know where we are.

( Bonnie, bag in hand at her side, holds the door open this time. She sighs, looking wistfully off at Danny, sullen, in the backseat. )

I wish I could make it all better, like I could undo it all, or, go back and prevent it altogether. Too many of us have no parents. No living family.

( She sighs.

From Danny's seat if or when he looks back, Bonnie and Isaac continue their discussion. Scott texts Isaac, so he pulls his phone out, eyes down quickly.

A couple approaches from the south, arm in arm. The guy in glasses leans in whispering something that makes the girl laugh. As they separate to move around Bonnie, everything happens quickly. The brunette girl brandishes a stun gun landing a blow to Isaac's side. Out of the leather jacket, the man reveals what looks to be something dark colored, with a flat bottom. He drops it. From the car, he can see a spell attempted, Bonnie's lips moving but nothing happening. She tries struggling, but the woman whacks her on the back of the back sending her down. The man quickly pulls out a pair of iron handcuffs the woman waves away, not now, and as fast as it happens, a bright yellow taxi pulls up.

Three others, including one dressed as a taxi-driver throw Bonnie and Isaac into the trunk. When everyone is inside the car, the driver puts down a black device on the top of the cab quickly, puts on a pair of leather gloves, climbs inside the cab and speeds off.

Bonnie's bag, and the contents within including her phone lie on the sidewalk next to Isaac's dropped phone.

The driver in Danny's car starts the ignition, this is probably protocol. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do we care?

( Just - he seemed so pitiful, and the fate of, well, they don't know hangs in the balance. )

I uh, should've said I was happy you called, instead of doing our bit. Not that I don't like our bit.

We don't not care. And, it could just be a text with the last known address for him to pick it up.

[Minimizing the harm seems better than leaving destruction in their wake, but that's just Coop's opinion. He smiles at the second part though.]

The bit's a good bit. But I'm glad you're saying it now.

V-style.

( Sure, he can do that. He schedules a pinged text for an hour from now. )

Can... I say it?

[He hesitates, trying to figure out what to make of that question.]

Yes? Unless there's some reason you don't want to.

There's not. I wanted to. Want. It's how I feel, despite the timing.

( Which feels like it will always be a thing, anyway. )

I worry about you. And I care.

[He's never really been good with this part. The feelings part. But he'd be lying if he said there weren't feelings there.]

I care too.

[But he's not really in a position to promise anything as long as he's undercover.]

I know you have to keep up appearances. Just - go easy.

( Or, have Isaac go easy. )

We can do this for real soon. RL.

Sounds good.

[He'd really like that.]

I gotta drive, but we'll be in touch when I catch up to Bonnie and Isaac.

( He nods. )

You're still flying solo?

Yep. Though that might not be true in a bit.

[He's going to have to call in the close encounter. Might make it harder to keep in contact.]

Here if you need anything, even if I can't respond, or you can't. I'm right here. In your ear. And maybe one day closer.

( Eventually. )

I'll see you soon.

[And with that he will hang up until he pulls up to the Czechtronics store, seeing the motorcycle parked out in front. He parks his truck and gets up to make his way inside.]

( The door jingles as Bonnie and Isaac leave Czechtronics behind, making their way outside. )

I think he's going to take matters into his own hands. ( With her gone, too. She would. Elena and Caroline would. The Salvatores would, too. )

Well, we haven't been gone long enough to get him into too much trouble.

[He says, with no idea what the teens are up to.]

And, in all fairness to him, he's in a situation where he's going to have to get used to taking situations into his own hands pretty soon.

( He just gets a look. How long is long enough. )

Maybe, but until then, he's my responsibility. If anything happened to him... like his mother, like his sister... A (16) has her sensing someone is close, and approaching and she looks straight at Cooper. Maybe she's on edge. )

[Isaac catches her eyeline, following it to Cooper and then raising his hand to wave him down.]

Don't worry. He's friendly.

[Not a friend, not yet, but if he does well with this, Isaac would be willing to upgrade him should the time come. Cooper returns the wave and makes his way closer. "So. How do you want to do this?"]

How does he want to do what? Isaac?

( Basically, all kinds of 'who's he?' going on. )

Coop is our inside man. And we've got to preserve his cover.

[More or less.

Coop makes a face. "Just ... I feel like I need to ask that you avoid the face. It's cliche, but look at it? Wouldn't you want to protect it?"]

You want him to hit you?

( She'll catch up. )

Inside of where? ( She steps back. ) You're a hunter?

Edited 2021-10-04 22:23 (UTC)

[Cooper holds up his hands, indicating that he comes in peace.]

Recently defected. I'm just here to cover your tracks, that's all.

If not you, then - okay. I guess - make it look real.

( That's to Isaac. But, at least they do have someone on their side. )

["Probably shouldn't do this in the open."

Isaac scans around, looking for an alley out of the way before gesturing for Coop to follow him. Bonnie can either come or stay, up to her. Cooper flashes her a smile as he goes.]

Nice to meet you. Happy to help.

( She's charmed, sure. And she's not letting Cooper out of her sight, so she follows the two men, playing lookout. )

[They duck into the alley and Coop starts stretching, loosening up. This is not the first time he's had to fake being beaten up and probably won't be the last.]

Okay, so why don't we just start with a --

[Isaac's fist smacks towards his face before he can finish the sentence, and the other man stumbles. Isaac shrugs. "You tense if you're expecting it."]

... Fair enough.

[And then they'll just continue until Coop looks sufficiently beaten up.]

( Bonnie stays back, letting the men go at it. They finish and Bonnie approaches. )

People don't blink here when there's a fight off the street. You look like you ran your face into a werewolf.

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