move your little finger and you can change the world

[enjoythe_ride]

Comments

[positiveinfluence]

[Coop manages to hold his ground and keep his grip on the gun (18). He's not giving up yet, but he doesn't know how much leverage he has left to work. He tries to shift his grip, working one arm over top of Mickey's and attempting to shove his elbow upwards to catch him in the face (6) but his aim, it's not good unless Mickey rolls real bad.]

[pumping]

( "Cooper, Cooper. Just say something. I don't care."

Mickey's (15) dodges Cooper's arm, and yanks harder, taking them both closer to the edge with his vampire strength (19), and while he manages to wrestle the gun away, they both plunge into the river. )

[positiveinfluence]

[There's assorted grunts, and a muttered curse, but unfortunately that's all he manages to get out, before the earwig hits the water and sparks out, sorry William. And it's that sparking tingle in his ear that forces him to lose his grip on the gun as he jerks away (3).

He comes up coughing, gasping for air as he searches for Mickey above the water, trying to see where he might be coming from next. But he does kick back from the shore, deciding it's not worth it to try and scramble back onto land by trying to get past Mickey.]

Look, man, I really don't want to do this.

[pumping]

( Vampire or not, he is not coordinated enough to tread water without the use of his arms, and surfacing, the gun cascades below them. He turns around, seeing Cooper is swimming away. )

Coop - I - I can't not. I want to not have to do this. Stop me from doing this.

( This isn't HIS call. )

[positiveinfluence]

How? Because fuck, I'm not gonna kill you, man.

[He refuses to cross that line. Mickey is still his friend. And even in the water, Coop is still struggling to catch the meaning between the words (9). He's just struggle busing all around.]

[pumping]

( He holds his arms up, as if to say he's not going to try and drown him as he tries kicking over. )

Cooper. I'm a good man. I knew your brother. I was ordered to do this, I'm supposed to be the good soldier, to, to play the part I've been given.

( He turns his left hand, trying to illustrate the lapis lazuli ring gifted to him like a handcuff around his wrist. )

I didn't enlist in this. I didn't enlist for this.

[positiveinfluence]

[He sees the ring, and then it all clicks. His eyes widen as he feels like he's been punched to the gut.]

Fuck. Fuck.

[This is not how he wanted to spend his day.]

When?

[pumping]

I can't talk about it. I... ( He holds the syllable out. ) got captured and escaped.

( For the record, he's trying to explain he did get captured, he did not escape. And, yes, there were high powered players who could compel even him. )

How long have you been working against us?

[positiveinfluence]

After Mystic Falls. After everyone ...

[He takes a breath.]

After I thought you died. All those lives and she just threw them away, for what? So she could play chess and plan this - which how many fucking innocent people died in that blast?

[He shakes his head, continuing to tread water.]

I couldn't keep toeing her line. And I wanted to try and save as many people as I could.

[pumping]

We don't know that was her.

( He suspects. )

And how has that been going? We lost ten of us in Prague. Because of a witch you say worked with us.

[positiveinfluence]

Don't we?

[They knew a move was coming. It has to be.]

By the time I got in deep in Prague, things were already in motion. I was trying to get information on the witch, and they wouldn't give it to me. But if we don't do something, New Orleans is going to be ten times worse. I didn't say I was perfect. I just said I was trying.

[pumping]

Then - then convince me to help. Convince me how helping you helps them. Maybe I can -- do something.

( Else, he thinks, as they bob slightly in the water. Make your case. You at least circumvented his direct orders for now.

His (18) keeps him in control of what he's been told to do, swimming away from Cooper and pulling himself up and out of the water. )

[positiveinfluence]

[He stays in the water. Because if Mickey's compelled, he doesn't want to concede his ground just yet.]

You said it yourself, eleven dead in Prague because they tangled with a witch. Everyone that got wasted in Mystic Falls. Tamara doesn't care about us. She just cares about her vision, and all of those hunters back there are roadkill to get her to the end of the line.

[And then, because he has to ask.]

Who compelled you? Kol or Klaus?

[Elijah was out of the country and Rebekah doesn't have that power anymore.]

[pumping]

( One thing he's able to say, he does. )

I don't know who Kol is.

( You got it in one question. )

[positiveinfluence]

Okay. Okay.

[Tires squeal nearby and there's the flash of headlights over their head. Bela is out of the car in in an instant and Coop holds up a hand from the water.]

I'm okay! I'm okay, we're figuring this out.

[Bela hesitates and looks over at the other hunter. But she'll follow Cooper's cue, considering he's not dead.]

[pumping]

He's fine. He's wet. And I'm unarmed. And --

( He gestures to Coop. Explain the situation because he literally can't. )

[enjoythe_ride]

["He's a vampire. Klaus compelled him."

Her head cocks to the side, confused, because while that makes sense it also makes no sense.]

So you're some kind of double agent, yeah?

[pumping]

I can't talk about it.

( So fucking frustrating. )

I'm a hunter. I was captured. I'm also this fucker's friend and he's been betraying us. ( He closes his eyes, trying to resist the flooding anger (18) and he does, sighing. ) I'm playing my part. I was. I'm -- trying not to.

[enjoythe_ride]

Betraying who, exactly?

[Bela is smarter than Cooper. She knows the double speak of compulsion, and she's going to attempt a way around it with a little more finesse.]

Because that all depends on who your loyalty belongs to. Are you loyal to the cause, are you loyal to Monroe, or are you loyal to him?

[pumping]

He betrayed the hunters. Monroe's hunters and I'm loyal to them, that is what I can say.

( And what he used to be... ring ring Bela, per Mr. Elijah Mikaelson

"Where are you right now?" )

[enjoythe_ride]

[She huffs as the phone rings, before she steps back.]

Hold on.

[Then she answers, frowning at the question.]

I'm down by the river, why?

[pumping]

( "Not in a van," he muses. Not the time. Dire things afoot. "Klaus has tasked me with meeting up with you. We're to investigate Davina's."

Mickey just -- watches Bela because, really? Taking a call now? And he turns back. )

Man, get out of the water. You're probably freezing.

[enjoythe_ride]

[Bela snaps her head around at that because yes, she is listening, she's not completely ignoring you and points to Cooper.]

No, no. Don't you move. We don't know what might retrigger the compulsion.

[Sorry, Cooper. But then she goes back her call.]

Actually, I need your brother. He has to come help me clean up one of his messes. Would you mind seeing to Freya?

[uniquelyvulnerable]

( As he turns back around and calls out to Klaus, speaking to him on their end.

Meanwhile...

"I'm not - I don't want -- I love him. I know what I know. And I know what I need to do. But, that cause -- I love him." He turns to Mickey who's also just... treading water and has no choice but to hear this, absolute go figure, best time ever but whatever. "I love you. That I can say. I'm stubborn. I believed in this cause. In Monroe's -- I was made this way. But, I wasn't made to stop loving you. So. Hold me back, or whatever. Or, I'll sit in the car." (16) on the conviction with what he's working with, but it would be very apparent in any case, he's desperate. Distraught. And was asked to kill his former? best friend.

Breaking this declaration of love. )

Fine. We are swapping assignments. Cami and I will see to Freya. Here's Klaus.

( "Where are you, exactly, and what mess is more important than my sister's fiery brush with death." )

[enjoythe_ride]

[Cooper's face softens, because it does mean something to him, and he hates that his friend is this fucked up because vampires got involved. It would have been better if he had died for good, rather than being at war with himself.

"We'll fix this, man. I promise. And I'm fine. Water's not too bad."

He's so going to have a cold when this is over, but maybe his cute boyfriend will be here in time to take care of him.

Meanwhile, on the phone:]

Oh, nothing, just a certain hunter that you supposedly compelled to working as a double agent for us, but can't make any decisions for himself so he might kill our actual inside man who has been burned.

[You can almost hear her smile.]

And personally, I don't care how you wish to resolve the situation, but I think that getting someone back inside and actually useful is probably better for locating the missing faction heads, don't you think?

[Cooper's head snaps towards Bela. "Wait, what?"]