[Old Private Frequency: Crows] Those that remain

[Jack the Ripper]

*Ivan knew who could hear him, if they still had the frequency that was.... He knew Mickey may be listening and yet.... despite their differences, he didn't care. He needed to know.

He pressed down on the transmit button and spoke in a deep, raspy voice.*

"How many of you are still out there? How many of you remember who you are?"

*Ivan grasps his radio tightly, his jaw set firmly as his face twists into a snarl. His next words are spoken through gritted teeth.*

"I remember, that the only way you stop being what you really are, is if you die. So I'll ask again: which of you still remain.... Crows?"

*Ivan slumps back against a tree, flexing his hand into a fist and out again, waiting for a response.*

[Ronan]

*Sean sits at the side of the Campfire, falling off to sleep. His Radio flicks to life, he hears Ivan's message. In disbelief, he scrambles for his Radio*

"Ivan?! There's no fucking way. You...you're alive? I don't fucking believe it..."

*He adjusts himself to sit upright*

"I haven't forgotten who I am, Brother... Hopefully the others haven't either..."

[Dew]

*Joe picks up his old old radio that he never let go off after hearing this*

Ivan, you changed you forgot the ways. I never got rid of this radio Alfred gave me a while ago. I never was a Crow, but Alfred took me in as one of his own.

*Joe puts the radio back in the protector case*

[OGpatch37]

*Bryce Is startled by voices coming from a tree nearby the camp where he was sitting, he approaches the tree and then remembers the old radio he stuffed within the knot of the tree as well as other old supplies such as a handful of bullets and a gold necklace.

*He takes the radio and dusts off the front casing and sits back listening to the voices speak, he recognizes them all, the radio still set on the old frequency, as he listens he ponders how the radio still works, the battery clinging to its life. When the voices stop he quickly opens up the back and replaces the battery. Then presses down the button and reply's*

"Im still alive and kicking Ivan, I havent forgotten who I am , or was... Some things never change brother. Sadly I cant say the same for those no longer with us.."

*He looks down solemnly Recounting events that lead to the demise of many brothers in his mind, his thumb eases off the button and he stops transmitting*

[Jack the Ripper]

*Ivan presses down on the transmit button.*

"Yes Joe, I have changed. I look at the world now from a different view. Perhaps I was naive in the beginning, perhaps it made me grow soft. But I've changed more since then. I've been climbing a mountain, trying to get a better view, fragments showing themselves to me, one piece at a time. I see it all now. I know what the world is, and what it will become.

I thought there may've been a way out, but I see it now.... we're all Crows in the end. And our way has always been the only way. Taught me the 'why' of things.

You haven't seen it yet.... but you will.

And Sean, Bryce, I'm glad to hear you're still out there. Some of the others are gone. Thought Fish was dead, but he ain't. I'm still kicking, for now at least.

Don't plan on sticking around much longer. Need to find answers to questions I've carried since the beginning.

Won't be gone forever though. Never am."

*Ivan stares at the radio in his hands for a time, a small smile curling upon his lips before he releases the transmit button.*

[Bjon]

Having his radio tuned to a frequency he thought no one would remember, Michael is suddenly surprised and frightened at the sound of his radio suddenly bursting to life. Dropping everything he was doing, he reaches for his radio, his face dripping with sweat as he listens carefully for the voice of the person transmitting. Soon, Michael realizes the voice coming through and the tension in his body quickly disperses. "Ivan... it's only Ivan" thought Michael.

Listening to Ivan's words emit from the speaker, Michael smirks slightly as the transmission ends. Sitting there, thinking of whether or not to respond, a few other familiar voices begin to chime in, causing Michael's expression to sour slightly. He then hears Ivan's voice coming through again, making Michael even more annoyed. As Ivan's transmission ends, Michael presses down on the talk button of his radio, addressing his former comrades in a stern tone.

"Well, it seems there are still a few of you pests roaming around. Honestly, I figured most of you would have been taken care of long ago, after both Fish and Skinner abandoned you all. As for me? I saw where things were heading, from day one, and I made sure to keep my distance. Seeing you all constantly picking fights with the masquerade, hanging around those dysfunctional Trust idiots, following a psychopathic murderer, while your old leader left us all for dead. You all had your wings clipped from the start, before I was even a thought in your minuscule minds, and the funny thing is, you did it to yourselves. I must say though, having you all around did make it much easier for me to acquire the essence of others. Hell, some of you were even willing to offer up your own to me; it is a shame that you all tasted so damn generic. 

And sure, perhaps I jumped the gun a bit to go and observe Darion after the months I spent studying your little flock. Perhaps I put too much faith into someone who didn't even prefer one type of essence over another. Someone, who's mind was so corroded that they saw fit to suddenly vanish, only to return when I've given them an opportunity to cross a nuisance to the both of us, off their list. Someone, who then decided to take away one of my subjects, to be so greedy as to make that decision for themselves, and then to threaten another subject of mine... but I'm getting off track.

Michael takes a deep breath for a moment, clearing his throat before speaking again.

Don't forget that you're still mine, Ivan; your life and your essence. You, who immediately saw fit to betray my trust, even after I considered you a friend, unlike the rest of them. I saw so much potential within you, you and Jack. But, you decided the best course of action would be to squander that trust and friendship, because of your skewed perception of my work; your mind has been corroded as well, Ivan. Constantly going back and forth with Alyssa and I, saying you need help one day, and then trying to set us up on the next. That indecisiveness has become your undoing, you had so many opportunities to end me, and yet here I am. 

I don't know where you plan to go, but I'll still be here when you return, I always am. So many people say they want me dead, that they wish to see me suffer like my subjects did." 

A small chuckle comes from Michael, followed by a heavy sigh before he continues rambling.

"Yet none of them have been able to do anything major to me. While you've been shot multiple times, lost most of your face, and who knows much essence has gone to waste because of your damn persistence; I've managed to get by with mere stitches, a few bruises, and the loss of two left fingers, which I have myself to thank for.  So while you run away and hide with your tail between your legs, I openly invite you to devise a creative way to capture and do what you wish with me. Although, I already know you won't be successful, you just don't have it in you any more, Ivan. You were growing soft back when you considered us brothers, now, the fact I'm still here only proves that you're no longer the fierce crow you like to imagine yourself being. 

I do wish you the best though while you're away hiding, as I would prefer you depart with your soul just yet and have more things of mine stolen. So yes, I wish for you to live until our next meet, for then I assume only one of us will walk away that day. Well then, until our next encounter...

Toodle-loo, Ivan."

As Michael lifts his thumb from the transmit button, he continues to stare at his radio, slowly realizing his hands shaking as a bead of sweat falls from the ridge of his nose and onto the device. After a moment of trying to calm himself, he closes his eyes and leans his head back, a grin forming across his lips.

[TheGlassSpider]

-snip-

[Dew]

-snip-

*Joe grabs his radio after hearing a voice*

You're a joke you non-factor, Kill yourself.

*Joe begins laughing historically as the radio cuts*

[MrKindred]

Startled by what he had just heard over his beaten up old radio, he lifts it up close to his face.Shaking from the cold, Anthony slowly presses down on the button. "I..Ivan i..is that you?""It's so cold here............." 

*Kindred's brain just not the same after the deaths that he has seen, and scars that he has received over the past few months*

 A bit of time goes by before he picks up the radio again.........

Anthony pushes the button again  and whispers in the radio.

" I remembered what you told me as you carved this C on my face.......And they have been dealt with my friend"

He Laughs hysterically, then slowly releases the radios button. 

[Jack the Ripper]

*Ivan stares coldly at the radio as he hears the voice he had hoped he wouldn't. He pressed down on the transmit button and spoke in an emotionless voice.*

"Mickey, killing you isn't the problem. That part isn't difficult. Finding you is the hard part. But then, you aren't very high on my priorities list, so stop trying to flatter yourself.

To be frank Mickey, I don't really care what you have to say, what you're opinions are, what your goals were, or whatever it was you're trying to make yourself out to be. As far as I see it, you're just.... An emotionally disturbed child.... that needs an attitude adjustment."

*A smile creeps onto Ivan's face and his next words are almost mocking, but hold a hard edge.*

"It was an interesting chess match you had. But I think the most informative part was near the end, and perhaps therein lies the solution to whatever is wrong in that sick little head of yours.

So do as Dr. Ishmael suggested..... and just.... Sing."

*Ivan hums the tune to the song softly for a few moments, closing his eye and resting his head back as he does. After a few moments, Ivan suddenly stops humming as footsteps can be heard approaching. Ivan reaches for his revolver, the audible click of the hammer being pulled back can be heard before the transmission ends.*

[Ronan]

*Sean clicks on his Radio to reply straight away after hearing Mickey's voice*

"Mickey, Mickey, Mickey... I think it's time we buried the hatchet buddy.... right in your fucking Temple."

*He clicks off his radio*