inbox.

[gunshooting]

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Nancy Wheeler, 18

NIEZ

CODE BY

Comments

[ligature]

[well that's not ominous at all.]

Nancy, where are you?

[gunshooting]

[ WELL........ ]

I went with Nami and the others to look for the heart. [ a beat ] I was going to tell you.

[ligature]

Yeah? When?

[that spark of anger fizzles out almost immediately, subsumed under regret and remorse. Will pushes his hands through his hair and stills his restless pacing.]

Sorry. [blunt but no less sincere for it.] I know I'm not your--you don't owe me anything, I'm just. [just. what?] Maybe I should've gone, too.

[gunshooting]

[ Not unaware of the complicated, messy dimensions of this conversation, but— ]

No, it's—I'm okay.

[ a beat, a little reluctant. ]

And I'm sorry. I should have said something.

[ligature]

It's all right. [he'd go to her now, if he could. if he had any real idea of where she is, of how to reach her in that wilderness.] Who else is out there with you? Other than Nami.

[not that he'll recognize many names, but it doesn't hurt to ask.]

[gunshooting]

Iggy, [ is the first name Nancy says, and there's a pause while she tallies up the rest: ] Kovacs and Felipe. Gilia.

[ She doesn't know any of them any better than Will does.

She doesn't say Danny. ]

I'm still learning names. But there's a lot of us. We'll be okay.

[ligature]

[he doesn't know to have reservations about Danny yet. this will probably come back to haunt him later, for one reason or another. reluctantly,]

...All right, well. If I can do anything.

[what, exactly, he expects to be able to do from all the way over here is anyone's guess. still, he makes the offer anyway.]

[gunshooting]

You could be safe?

[ To whatever extent this was within Will's control. ]

So I don't have to worry about you.

[ligature]

Me?

[a huff of incredulous laughter, but sheepish gratitude wends throughout it.]

Nancy, I'm not the one going spelunking in a monster-infested cave. I'll be fine. [famous last words. but also, with genuine fondness,] But thanks, for worrying. I appreciate it.

[gunshooting]

I'll be back soon.

[ Famous last words ]

I promise.