Interview with a Vulpine

I like making witty titles.

Shut up.

So I've gotten much better since getting out of that area with It. Less of a sore throat today! Yay!

I think Fox...I mean Todd...being a reckless idiot distracted It away from us. At least for a little bit. Haven't seen the jerk around yet.

He likes the name Todd now, by the way. Reminds me of The Fox and the Hound.

Well...I promised you an interview. Here you go.

Me: I almost thought you weren't coming back. You weren't in the basement.

Todd: Just because I'm not there immediately when you come hom-

Me: I checked nine times.

Todd: Oh. [short pause] That's a multiple of three.

Me: ...yes. Yes it is.

Todd: There are also three of u-

Me: Shush.

Todd: [chuckles] Fine. [sits on the couch, hands folded in his lap] You have questions for me? I'll do my best.

Me: I was going to ask your real name, but we obviously know the answer to that. Uhm...okay. Here's one. Your age?

Todd: I'd estimate around 18 to early twenties.

Me: Good enough. Are you from England or something? The way you speak-

Todd: Maybe. I don't know.

Me: Oh. Well that'd be the coolest thing ever. I love Brits. [grins]

Todd: I can tell.

Me: Eh?

Todd: Some of the videos you watch. There's a man reading a book...

Me: Oh! Alex! And Charlie. I might have to make you watch those later. You might appreciate the humor.

Todd: Alright then.

Me: Hmmm... [flips through some papers] What about Skye?

Todd: I thought this was about me.

Me: It mostly is. See: mostly. Besides, you're related to that incident.

Todd: I see...she was there.

Me: What?

Todd: Last night. She seemed partly lucid. But Rat has her with him now.

Me: Oh...well shit.

Todd: It can be solved.

Me: At what cost?

Todd: It will probably be pricey. And cannot yet be done.

Me: Why?

Todd: I'm not to interfere. For now, anyways. Nothing was said about after the plan succeeding.

Me: It would be nice if something could be done before then. Fox...I mean Todd...this is one of my friends here. I don't know if you grasp that bu-

Todd: I'm sorry. I really am. I'll do what I can. But in order to keep things running as they are now, rather than absolute chaos, I cannot do anything at the time.

Me: Right...new subject.

Todd: Preferable.

Me: What happened last night?

Todd: Nothing exciting.

Me: [rolls up the papers I'm holding and waves them at him] I was expecting fireworks, man.

Todd: If I could have... [adjust the nose of his mask while smirking]

Me: Then what happened?

Todd: We were interrupted.

Me: By...?

Todd: Guess.

Me: Right. And then?

Todd: I'd already landed a blow on Rat, who proceeded to just laugh it off. But I could hear the whimpers under it. So I knew I inflicted pain. And the Mast...It shows up. A restraining order of sorts. That is what took place.

[there's a few seconds of frustrated muttering going on here]

Todd: In any case, it is unlikely he'll be up here anytime soon.

Me: So there's that. [smirks]

[Ace trots down the hallway]

Me: Hi bubby! (I call him lots of nicknames. Shush.)

Todd: You've got quite a friend there.

Me: He's my big, furry sibling. Yes! Yes he is!

[Ace whines and howls, his method of communicating]

Me: Good thing he knows you're a friend. He still might bite you though. [grins]

Todd: I'll...keep my distance.

Me: M'kay. What else...oh! Brennon. Brennon wants to know how long you've been working for It.

Todd: A few years now.

Me: And how is you don't kn-

Todd: Because we do as we are told. Rat knew because he is a weaselly bastard. He has probably been punished for his selfishness and stupidity.

Me: So you're not that high in the ranks, eh? Not enough to deserve being told everything.

Todd: I suppose not. If I'd known about these hatchlings before hand...

Me: Don't beat yourself up for that one. That's working out in our favor anyways.

Todd: Didn't you want to know about the shack?

Me: Oh! Yes. Yes I did.

Todd: It was a decoy.

Me: Oh...what?

Todd: We were told to vandalize it to look significant. So you'd investigate and It could get close to you.

Me: Well...at least it's not...wait. It. Was close. Explain.

Todd: You more than likely did not notice. It was watching from afar. Studying your working habits. How you work as a team.

Me: What about the distorted photos?

Todd: The messages meant nothing.

Me: The blood.

Todd: You don't want to know.

Me: Heeey! That's when we first saw you.

Todd: I was trying to rearrange something. Then I saw the two of you and wanted to watch for myself. Curiosity. To see what you'd do.

Me: Sounds like you didn't think that one through very well.

Todd: [sighs] I thought you were done taking pictures there. I didn't expect you to catch me. You had done a fantastic job of somehow missing me the other times you walked past.

Me: I know. That killed me.

[the garage door sounds]

Todd: Sounds like it's time for me to go.

Me: Yup. See you later.

Todd: Indeed.

There we go. And here's my challenge to you, Todd. You've been watching me for how long now? What have you learned?

Just curious.

Heh. Wonder if you've got what it takes to work in the BAU.