xp_communication | Emails from Domino

To: [colossal, interfering, chauvinist ass]
From: [so not a damsel in distress]
Subject: I hate you

I hate you. And GW. And Alexey. I'd hate Doug, too, but he's young and cute and Angie might possibly teach him how not to be so male.

I'm sure GW's told you he's putting me on a plane on Wednesday. I'm still debating whether or not to give you the slip at JFK.

Dom

---

To: [Nosey the Hacker]
From: [Pissy the Merc]
Subject: that is not...

...how you repay a favor, Douglas dear. You just had to go and tell the old man, didn't you? I was fine. Drunk off my ass, yes, but I was handling the situation perfectly well on my own. Didn't strike you that I might have had a plan of my own? Cute soldiers don't make particularly good 'minders' for someone like me. I was just having a little fun before I left. I did not need rescuing like some kind of damsel in distress.

I'm very cross with you. And hey, I'll get a chance to tell you that in person, because GW is shipping me over there this week so that Nate can kick my ass. Yeah, this is shaping up to be a great second half of July.

Domino

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To: Pete
From: Dom
Subject: I'd like to remind you...

...that I did not kick your ass about getting shot, in the end. So I expect the same courtesy about my little Mongolian adventure, okay? Since I'm sure Nate's probably filled you in on the details by now, the bastard. Not to mention that I now owe Vasily's insufferable brother. As if I couldn't have walked out of that safehouse anytime I wanted.

Anyway. I'm booked on a Wednesday flight for New York. GW insisted - apparently he doesn't think he can read me the riot act as well as Nate can. So if I'm going to have to listen to the old man speechifying at me, I sure as hell don't need to hear it from you, too.

Dom

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To: [little sis]
From: [big sis]
Subject: Angelo's b-day

Looks like I may make it after all. Apparently I'm coming to Westchester to see Nate whether I want to or not - GW has informed me that he's bought the ticket and will accompany me to the airport to make sure I get on the plane. He's a bully.

Suppose I should probably confess before the bigger bully goes and tells you his version of the story. Your charm did save my ass but it - my ass, not the charm - had already gotten sort of kicked. I sort of didn't pay as much attention to what it was trying to tell me the first time it did the little tingly-burny thing. But hey, live and learn. Next time it did it I paid attention, and here I am... sitting in bed in Berlin, with Mina alternatively fussing over me and raving at me. Oh joy.

Dom

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

x-cypher.livejournal.com

To: [Bitchy the Merc]
From: [Human Decoder Ring]
Subject: You could say thank you...

Yes, Dom, I know you have a way of getting yourself out of tight situations. But by your own admission, you had been beaten up, cut, burned with a bloody _cigarette_, caught in a truck bomb explosion, and were mixing alcohol and painkillers. You might ask if I've heard of the phrase 'backup plan', I ask if you've heard the phrase 'dead in a ditch somewhere'. Because that was where I was scared that you were going to end up. I don't have yours (or Nathan's or Pete's) nonchalance about this sort of thing, and if that's a problem, then I'm sorry. I was worried sick about you, and I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, okay? I just wanted to help. I know you like to be able to do things on your own, but it's not a weakness to rely on your friends sometimes.

You being cross aside, I'm still looking forward to seeing you. If only so I can reassure myself that you're in one piece. See you soon.

-Doug

From:

x-cable.livejournal.com

I hear you gave yourself a headache trying to help me (Nate told GW, GW threw it at me) and I appreciate it. Just have majorly stinging pride today, all right? You guys aren't the only ones who have your macho moments.

As for 'dead in a ditch', I tried that once. Didn't take.

Dom

From:

x-cypher.livejournal.com

The headache is apparently a side effect of using my powers too much when I'm trying to hack things. Don't worry about it. It's just a thing I can do. Nathan's been embarassing me telling me how impressed he was. I was a hacker before I knew I was a mutant, my power just makes me a little better at it.

And I understand stinging pride. I'm sorry if I was a little snappish myself. I was just really worried. Get yourself out here and take a few days to relax with all of us and we'll call it even, how about? :)

-Doug