Author's Note: Oh hai. Remember me? D: D: Ugh, real life is dumb. Anyways, this chapter is one I've kinda been looking forward to, since I think Dan says a lot of really, really interesting things about Rorschach in this part of the GN that I'd totally forgotten about. So enjoy!
Warnings: Rorschach being douchy and Dan being existential and Laurie being cranky. And possibly the only sane person in the group. Lol
42. Jailbreak
He hadn't meant to bring up Rorschach so soon after having the most mind-blowing sex he'd had in years. He really hadn't. It was just the deadly combination of adrenaline and endorphins and exhilaration that made him feel invincible. That made him feel like he could do anything. And god, it had been years since he'd felt this way. To take action felt only natural.
Laurie took it with fairly good humor after her initial shock. Dan was grateful for that, since he was pretty sure he'd committed a rather grievous faux pas—mentioning Rorschach of all people right after they'd had sex. It definitely wasn't as awkward as it could have been, but her raised eyebrows and bemused half-smirk made him flush anyways. He shrugged at her with what he hoped was an appropriately apologetic grin as he steered the ship in the direction of Sing Sing prison.
Sing Sing. To break out his dangerous, mostly insane ex-partner who probably won't even appreciate the gesture.
Christ, what was he thinking?
But as he flew over the prison, and caught the first signs of what looked to be some kind of riot, he didn't feel any regret, or panic. Just an exhilarating sense of purpose, and the absence of fear that made him feel like he could fly again.
Steeling himself, he glanced over at Laurie, who had steel in her eyes and in the line of her jaw. She hovered over his chair; hand on the shoulders, her eyes darting over the scene. The air was tense and focused. The sound of the officer's bullets ping!ed against the hull of the ship and the spotlights flashed against the windows. Adrenaline coursed through Dan's veins.
"Look," Laurie's voice was tight and worried, "Convicts. We're in the occupied section. How did you talk me into this?" She was murmuring, low and affectionately exasperated, "This is getting scary…"
Dan grinned, "Don't worry. Put in your earplugs so we can hit the ground running. I'm turning on the screechers now…" He hit the button and Archie roared, keening his song against the windows and the ears of the men. As they fell, Daniel dropped to the ground and pulled himself into a run.
Nite Owl had missed this.
The lights had just run out. Laurie had started in surprise, her shoulders tensing and her knees bending defensively. Dan looked up, eyes narrowing at the ceiling. Sing Sing's wiring couldn't be that old, but the electrical system may have taken some kind of a beating during the riot. Anyway, it wasn't like it mattered too much; Nite Owl was used to working in the dark—Daniel had had a lot of practice.
Laurie was talking. "…Extinguished! All the lights, they just went out…"
Dan flicked on a flashlight. "Speak up, I can barely hear you. It's some sort of power failure, obviously. Emergency lights should kick on soon, providing nobody's been too rough with the electricals."
They walked through the dark halls, alive and twisting with anger and blood and the air stunk like sweat and filth and a whole lot of other things that reminded Dan of why he quit. There were bodies on the floor and the air smelled like old smoke and wet dog, but some of that had to be in Dan's head.
"Dan, this is horrible. When we heard about the riot, I thought it would just provide cover for the escape. I hadn't imagined this…" Laurie gestured at the scene before her, eyes tense and worried.
"Old grudges get worked out in these things," Dan replied, his voice sounding distant to his own ears, "Old grudges and bad blood."
And how many people are in here because of him and Rorschach? How many people should have been in here but weren't because of Rorschach? How much bad blood was there, seeping through the armor of Nite Owl and Rorschach both, drowning them as they tried to survive. It made Dan a little sick to think about, but there was some kind of clarity, here in this dank and shadowy place.
"But this is pandemonium!" Laurie was overwhelmed, he could tell in the way she tried to keep her voice steady. She thought this was a stupid idea. She was probably right. "Even assuming that nobody killed him already, that he's still alive; how are we supposed to find him?"
"He's supposedly in the solitary section. He shouldn't be too difficult to track down." The image of his unmasked partner pushed its way to the forefront of Dan's mind. Yes, Dan would recognize his partner if he saw him; the way he should have before.
They wouldn't stay unnoticed for long. They'd both known that. A woman in yellow lingerie and a man dressed like a giant owl wouldn't go unnoticed in any situation. As they fought, with fists and adrenaline, Laurie watched him, confused and irritated.
"I still don't see you need him." She pointed out, punching a convict in the ribs and sending him flying into the wall, "What did he do for you lately?"
She was being defensive, and annoyed, but Dan could sense in the way she looked at him that this wasn't really about Rorschach. She wanted to understand Dan. Wanted to understand what it was about Rorschach that made Dan do stupid things like breaking into prisons and blowing his secret identity out of the water. Dan wished he could figure that out for himself.
"Nothing." He said finally, punching a man in the face. Blood and spit trailed from his mouth as he fell. "But meeting him recently, it's like he wants to make friends without knowing how…"
"Used to come here often. Back when we were partners"
"…As if the gap between us were narrowing…"
"Don't need to expect me anymore. Justice can be dispensed separately as well."
"…It's just so hard, reaching him. I mean, all this stuff, this horror and madness, he attracts it…"
He'd shown up in his basement that night, smelling like blood and wet dog and fire and had snarled at Daniel's touch, face under the mask contorted with despair and fear.
"…It's his world. This is where he lives…"
Rorschach looked up from the beaten Knot Top at Dan's voice, blood dripping from his gloves and his mask leering.
"…In this sordid, violent Twilight Zone…"
"What the hell happened to you, Rorschach?"
"…under this shadow."
"You quit."
There was a lot of blood. And it was sort of sad how unsurprised Dan was at the revelation. The smell of burnt hair and skin hung in the air and a fat man hung grotesquely from the cell door, his throat slit.
"Well? Did we find the right cell? Is he there?" Laurie caught up with him and he heard the breath catch in her throat. Silence. Then, "From the smell, this whole place has his stamp on it." A cheap, weak shot, and they both knew it. This was still a bad plan.
"No. No, he isn't here," Dan turned, purpose in his stride, as he followed bloody footprints, "But I think he's been there. Come on. If we don't find him soon, our whole plan is in the toilet."
"Along here, maybe?" Laurie pointed, still tripwire tense and wary.
Dan huffed a frustrated sigh. Figures Rorschach would escape the same time they were trying to break him out. "I don't know. If only there was some sign…"
"Hey!" Laurie pointed at a figure walking a ways ahead, "Is that him along there? There was that picture in the papers, him without his mask…"
Dan's stomach flopped. The figure was ramrod straight, hands in his pocket, his stride purposeful. Maybe… "I-I'm not sure. It looks like his posture…" Dan willed his voice to steady, "Hey, Rorschach?" The man didn't look around, but Dan ran to catch up with him anyways. "Rorschach? Is that.. yes. Yes, it's you!" Blue eyes flicked in his direction, flat and distant underneath a bruised face. Dan grinned, "Come on man. We came to bust you out and we better hurry before, uh…" There was something else in his posture. Something Dan recognized from years of partnership, "Uh, we're not interrupting anything?"
"No." And yes, that was definitely Rorschach, because nobody else talked like that, all short sentences and rasping monotone, "Excuse me. Have to visit men's room." And without another word, he pushed through the door to the men's bathroom.
Yup. Definitely Rorschach.
Laurie huffed. "Oh for Christ's sake…"
"Uh, look, it's okay." Dan struggled for an excuse even as he was pushing down feelings of irritation himself, "I mean, it happens to everybody, right? I remember once I lost a big arrest like that…" He was babbling now, but he didn't really care; too tired and annoyed and frankly kind of embarrassed that he'd put himself and Laurie into so much trouble and Rorschach didn't even care. "I was closing down his dope dealer and I needed to take a leak. By the time I'd got in and out of the costume, he'd vanished." Dan grinned bleakly, trying for humor, "I redesigned the costume since then."
Laurie snorted, "Oh sure. Everybody's done that. What pisses me off, we came to rescue him, he doesn't even thank us! Doesn't even say hello!" She threw up her hands, "Hell, what's he doing in there? That bumping…"
Dan could take a few guesses, none of them very nice. "It's okay. I think I just heard him flush."
Laurie put her hands on her hips when he returned, face blank and stare distant. "At last!" She sighed, deliberately over-dramatic. Dan shushed her, not really in the mood to mediate a fight.
"There. Did what had to be done. Can leave now." Rorschach looked up at Daniel, eyes flicking up and down over his costume. Dan felt uncomfortable. Rorschach was several inches shorter than he'd remembered, and his face was gaunt and worn. He looked vulnerable, which was so far from the truth it wasn't even funny, but still. It made Dan feel like he had some unfair advantage, being in costume.
Laurie thankfully broke the tension. Or rather, redirected it to herself. "Really? I mean, are you sure? We don't want to get too reckless and go diving headfirst into things!" Her sarcasm was directed at both of them, exasperated and irritated and you-boys-are-in-so-much-trouble-with-me-when-we-get-back-to-Archie. Dan felt a grin spreading across his face.
"Hurm." There wasn't much inflection in Rorschach's voice. There hadn't been in years, but Dan was pretty sure he could hear vague and distant amusement. "Good advice," Rorschach intoned, meeting her sarcasm with his own peculiar brand, "Sure there are many who'd agree with you." Laurie just shook her head. "Incidentally," Rorschach continued, "Good seeing you in uniform, Daniel. Like old times." And there it was, the old feeling of camaraderie and excitement he'd felt all those years ago—
"And Miss Juspeczyk. Although never liked your uniform. Nothing personal."
And there it was, Rorschach's irritating disregard for everyone.
"Uh. Maybe I better kill the screechers so Archie doesn't deafen you when I bring him up."
"Hurrm. Owlship. Screechers. Belt console. All the old toys. I remember." Rorschach turned to Dan, his eyes bright and intense, finally looking at him instead of through him, "What brought you out of retirement? Taking mask killer seriously at last?"
Dan tried to think of a way to diplomatically respond, "Well…"
"No. Leastways, I'm not," Laurie stared up at him challengingly. He stared at her indifferently.
"No? But then, you haven't been attacked yet. Funny. Most everyone else has." It was amazing how casual Rorschach could sound when he had no inflections and was making unfounded accusations. Dan rolled his eyes.
"Rorschach, for god's sake, man, don't you ever let up? She just rescued you…" Dan felt disappointed. Which was silly, because he of all people should have known Rorschach would be like this; unmasking and imprisonment was violating enough, but to need rescuing by a woman he didn't like and a man who used to be his partner and now they're barely even acquaintances…
"What's he implying?" Laurie sounded angry, "I just don't buy this conspiracy is all! I mean, to me, this whole situation's grotesque. Dan thought springing you might help; I played along," Frustration seeped into her words, "Frankly, I wish I hadn't. I wish Jon was here to straighten everything and…" Her words screeched to a mortified halt as she realized what she'd said, "Oh, Dan. I'm sorry."
Dan told himself it didn't matter. "Forget it. Here's Archie…" He pretended not to notice Rorschach looking at him, his gaze piercing. "Hurry, without the screechers keeping folk away we'll soon start drawing fire. Also, I want to visit my place one last time before this caper brings the police down on it. There's equipment to collect." He sat in the driver's chair as Laurie clambered down the ladder.
"Y'know, this is getting heavy. As Dan Dreiberg, you'll be wanted." Her voice was subdued, worried and weary. It seemed that she was too tired to be irritated or angry.
Dan sighed, "The world should last so long. No, it's okay. I set up emergency identities years ago. They'll conceal us." He pressed a few buttons and pulled back on the steering column. "Hold tight. We're going home to roost."
Rorschach stayed perched half out of Archie, watching the ground shrink from view.
A/N: Wow, that was long. And a lot of fun for me to write. But damn…*rereads* Not a whole lot happened for you guys. Sorry! D: I just really liked this part because of what Dan says about Rorschach in the middle when they're looking for him and how irritated they must feel when they go all this way to find him and then when they do he's like "don't bother me, I'm killing bitches." I mean really. IRRITATING. I'm beginning to identify with Laurie a little bit. D: D: