14th October, 9 am.
Oct. 14th, 2012 10:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
therealpm*Peter works his way quietly through yet another brief, occasionally stopping to flick the fringe out of his eyes. His hair is far too long by now and it's beginning to annoy him.
The TV screen in the corner is on, but remains carefully blank. The Machine takes pains not to be visible when a guard might be peering through the door unless Peter specifically requests an answer. Last night had been their longest uninterrupted conversation since the programming of the doppelganger. Peter had guessed (correctly) that none of his guards would wish to miss The Thick of It, and so he'd had a whole half hour to talk with his creation.
Peter being Peter, this had mostly involved a set of detailed instructions on what The Machine should do if the 'cure' killed him, and a request to both monitor and if possible, strategically intervene in the care pathway of Peter's two victims. They were too far away for The Machine to do anything directly of course, but all patient records are computerised these days and overstressed doctors tend not to notice slight alterations to a patient's records or prescriptions when they've got another few dozen to manage as well.
The Machine tells him they're doing better and that LaGarde seems to be doing her best to make Osborne miserable. It helps. A little.*
The TV screen in the corner is on, but remains carefully blank. The Machine takes pains not to be visible when a guard might be peering through the door unless Peter specifically requests an answer. Last night had been their longest uninterrupted conversation since the programming of the doppelganger. Peter had guessed (correctly) that none of his guards would wish to miss The Thick of It, and so he'd had a whole half hour to talk with his creation.
Peter being Peter, this had mostly involved a set of detailed instructions on what The Machine should do if the 'cure' killed him, and a request to both monitor and if possible, strategically intervene in the care pathway of Peter's two victims. They were too far away for The Machine to do anything directly of course, but all patient records are computerised these days and overstressed doctors tend not to notice slight alterations to a patient's records or prescriptions when they've got another few dozen to manage as well.
The Machine tells him they're doing better and that LaGarde seems to be doing her best to make Osborne miserable. It helps. A little.*
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Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 06:11 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 06:26 pm (UTC)Are you joining us this evening, Peter?
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 06:33 pm (UTC)I believe so, yes.
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 06:38 pm (UTC)I'll go and check what's for dinner, in that case.
*He heads through to the kitchen and inspects the fridge. Since Peter's transformation back into human form, there has been considerably less prime ingredients in the Bercow household, and the only meat currently in (discounting the toppings on the "Meat Feast" pizzas and Peter surely would) appears to be a bag of mincemeat.*
Ah...
*He heads back through to the living room.*
The choices for tonight consist of something with mincemeat, something ordered in from one of the many reputable take away food establishments in the area, or a trip to the supermarket.
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 06:42 pm (UTC)Jemima...
*He flinches away as she grabs one of his ears, then gently disentanles her hands.*
Stop it. That's quite enough.
No, Freddie, it's my tie.
I know he does, but this one is mine.
Indeed we do.
Why don't you go help your father in the kitchen, hmm?
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:13 pm (UTC)Now come along, I'm sure you'll be thrilled to learn how to cook spaghetti bolognaise...
*Jemima comes too - as Chief Taster, she has to be included at every stage - and the three of them don aprons and wash their hands before they start cooking. Oliver is on cleaning duty, washing the peppers and so on while Jemima peels the mushrooms. John waves his hand and the music system starts up.*
*He goes back through to the living room for a moment.*
Glass of wine, Peter?
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:17 pm (UTC)Is it from the same place as your last batch?
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:18 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:23 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:27 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:32 pm (UTC)It is!
He changes the song, then sits back down and rolls the dice.*
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:34 pm (UTC)...
*John calls through*
Very funny, Peter!
*John is about to change the record back when he sees Oliver and Jemima start dancing. He concludes that maybe - just this once - he'll put with Peter's taste in music.*
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:43 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:49 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:57 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 07:59 pm (UTC)No, Oliver, you can't have a glass of wine with dinner.
Oh, Oliver, there are far too many reasons for me to go into right now.
Eat up you lo-
Jemima! Stop trying to play with Uncle Peter's ears!
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:11 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:16 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:30 pm (UTC)Best of three?
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:31 pm (UTC)Peter, the children do have to go to school in the morning.
I think it might be time to get ready for bed.
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:42 pm (UTC)*Peter gives each child a hug, then waves as they are lead upstairs to bed. He slumps back on the sofa and stares at the fireplace.
He could just walk through it.
It's undoubtedly still connected to his house. It might be warded by a quick call to The Machine and he might be able to break those.
He could leave.
He could take what ingredients he'd need and run.
He could brew his own potion, administer his own cure. Live or die freely rather than locked in a tiny cell.
He might even survive.
Peter gets up and walks over to the fireplace, almost in a trance, fingers tracing the outline of wards he can see but not move, not without The Machine's help, anyway.
He drops his hand.
And what of The Machine?
What would happen to her.
Her vault is safe enough for the moment; whilst he has John's backing, but without it? If John cannot or chooses not to protect The Machine, then brilliant as she is... it would only take a few well placed explosives to ruin her.
He wanders back to the sofa and sits down once more, determinedly gazing out of the window instead. He'll not leave the children behind.*
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:54 pm (UTC)*He checks the clock.*
DawnThe next guard is due to come on shift soon, we should probably head back.Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:56 pm (UTC)*He follows John back to his cell in silence.*
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 08:59 pm (UTC)I'll try and visit in the morning, before work, if you'd like?
Re: Lunchtime the same day
Date: 2012-10-14 09:00 pm (UTC)Re: Lunchtime the same day
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