Video || Double the Authority

[notjustinthemirror]

[The feed crackles to life to show the Alcohol Demon, tossing something gold and silver between his bandaged hands. He holds it up to the screen: a shiny police badge. Sure looks official. For Chicago and everything.]

Anyone missing one of these? Whoever you are you're a damn shitty cop if you're losing your badge.

Also pretty sure Serial Crimes Unit outweighs detective, so that makes me your superior. Report in.

Comments

[voice]

[synthedick]

[Nick almost skims past this post, taking note of it, but not finding it too important. People are finding things all over the place these days, and it seems all these new possessions belong to someone in Hadriel. That badge is probably no exception.

But something about that badge catches his eye -- the shape, the emblem. Chicago PD. It flickers in his memory, a spark of familiarity.]

There a name on it somewhere? Maybe on the back?

[vide

[notjustinthemirror]

[ He flips it over to take a look. ]

Valentine.

Is that you? Because I feel like this is something to get court marshaled over.

[ Do they court marshal detectives? He has no idea. ]

[voice]

[synthedick]

[He knew it, but it surprises him all the same.]

That is me.

[Who he used to be. Who he never was.]

I didn't lose it so much as never had it.

[Video]

[notjustinthemirror]

Enigmatic.

Care to explain?

[voice]

[synthedick]

It belonged to a guy who's been dead for two hundred years. I just picked up where he left off.

[Sort of.]

[Video]

[notjustinthemirror]

Then how the fuck is it yours? Sounds like it's mine now honestly.

[voice]

[synthedick]

It's not.

[He bites back his temper.]

I don't suppose you'd be willing to let me have that, would you?

[Video]

[notjustinthemirror]

What's in it for me if I give it back? I might enjoy being a detective, a lot more interrogations.

[voice]

[synthedick]

[Given what interaction Nick has had with this guy, as well as his history on the network, he had a feeling this wouldn't be easy.]

A better question is what is it you want?

[notjustinthemirror]

Oh no, that's the easy way out. Reverse psychology bullshit and I've had enough of that. You have to offer, remember I'm the one with the thing you want.

[synthedick]

I can't make an offer if I don't know what it is you'd be interested in.

[notjustinthemirror]

Very well.

Tell me why you want this if you claim it's not yours.

[synthedick]

[Sigh. While he's not keen on telling his life's story to just anyone, he really wants that badge... for reasons.

He sets the conversation for private, deciding he'd rather keep some details between them.]

I have his memories and personality recorded into my hardware. In a way, I am him.

[Though he would rather deny that most days.]

[notjustinthemirror]

You're a clone?

[ Well now he's interested. ]

So why should I give it to you instead of the original?

[continued private voice (thanks for deleting my subject DW, gosh)]

[synthedick]

Because unless you've got a time machine or can raise the dead from another world, I don't think you're going to find him.

[private voice]

[notjustinthemirror]

And you're the next best thing huh?

[synthedick]

You could say that.

[notjustinthemirror]

Got anyone interesting to interrogate? Do you need this? Or do you just want it?

[synthedick]

I want it.

[Little harsh there, Nick.]

[notjustinthemirror]

Sounding real human there for a minute, you might want to watch that.

I suppose I can find it in me to return this. Since I'm such a nice guy and all.

[synthedick]

[Sigh. He's not human, and he knows it, but he sure does feel like one some days.]

Thanks. I'll even come to you to get it. Save you some trouble.

[notjustinthemirror]

Well aren't you kind and considerate. Nothing more suspicious than that.

Come and find me.

[Aaaaand click.]

[voice]

[circumitus]

Are you seriously saying you worked for some branch of government? Really?

[voice]

[notjustinthemirror]

Serial Crimes Unit in Metro city.

Why? Don't I look like an authority figure?

[voice]

[circumitus]

[Flatly:]

...No.

[notjustinthemirror]

I am hurt and offended. Also that sounds just like something a criminal would say.

[circumitus]

Or you could just be a psycho impersonating a government agent. Pretty sure that was a crime at some point.

[notjustinthemirror]

They'll let anyone on the force. What's the world coming to?

[circumitus]

Implying that the world wasn't already fucked to start.

[notjustinthemirror]

Then why are you surprised by me being an authority figure?

[circumitus]

Call it a hunch.

[notjustinthemirror]

You win on a technicality, but I am part of the Serial Crimes Unit. So it's not entirely untrue.

[circumitus]

The "technicality" and "not entirety untrue" parts do not inspire much confidence.

[notjustinthemirror]

Fine. Then when you're in the shit I won't save you. Don't call me if a serial killer starts making a mood board with you circled in red string.

[circumitus]

Whatever.

[Like she cares.]

You'd be the last person on-call for such a situation, anyway.

[notjustinthemirror]

Hey I'm great with serial killers.