New Girl preplay code test 2

[seaoftroubles]

Havenites	Katie, as it turned out, had been busy throwing herself in front of a speeding car when Nathan had decided she might be the center of this trouble. Which seemed like a pretty good indicator that she, you know, wasn't. Shortly after checking out the scene, Lexie announced her theory: that Tyler had lied, and possessed his friends because they were seeing each other behind his back. "Bartender, remember?" She smiled. "I know things." And so they were back at the hospital. "Tyler," Nathan said, knocking on the door to the kid's room. "It's Haven Police again. We need to talk." He reached for hte shoulder of the man lying on his side, facing away from them, and rolled him over. "Tyler. Hey." "Oh," Lexie said, when she got a look at the dead man in glasses lying there. "Tyler is dead." Duke shook his head. "That's not him." "I thought you said he was a paraplegic." Lexie looked between Nathan and Duke with a frown. "Where could he have gone?" Duke backed out of the room, reaching for Octavia's hand. "We'll try to find his nurse."
Lucifer	"Duke?" Lucifer called, stalking through the hallway. "Octavia? Are you there?" He wasn't about to admit to how fast he'd flown here. That would be ridiculous.
Octavia	Octavia let Duke have her hand, right as she heard Lucifer call for them, and she called back, "We're here!" Could Lucifer tell by the tight note in her voice that shit was maybe going down? Probably.
Duke	"Luce," Duke called, leading Octavia down the hall in the direction Lucifer's voice had come from. "You seen a kid come through here? Early 20s, kinda stocky, probably in a wheelchair or something?" He trailed off, feeling . . . odd. Like something was creeping up the back of his skull.
Lucifer	"No, I just got here," Lucifer said. He slowed somewhat, though as soon as he was close he was reaching for Octavia before he even thought about it. "Why? Is he our suspect?"
Octavia	There was maybe a little more 'reaching for Octavia' happening here than Octavia herself was entirely comfortable with in a high-adrenaline situation, but she was allowing it. "Yeah," she said. "There was another dead guy on his bed."
DukeTyler	Duke shivered faintly. Or thought he did. Felt like he should? He opened his mouth to fill Lucifer in on the other deaths -- except he didn't. Or, well, his mouth opened, but what came out of it was "He might be another victim. We're not sure yet." Duke went cold. Or should have gone cold. He tried to move, tried to speak, tried to do literally anything, but his body was moving without his direction. Letting go of Octavia's hand and stepping past Lucifer to look around. Flexing his hands and smirking in approval once his back was two Octavia and Lucifer, like he was enjoying this. . . . No. No no no no nonononononono Oh calm down. That was not his thought. There's nothing you can do, buddy, so might as well enjoy the ride!
Lucifer	It had been a month since Lucifer had seen her. There was going to be a bit of reaching - a bit of taking her hand, after Duke had dropped it. "You think our troubled person might have gone walkabout in that one?" he asked, looking up at Duke's back.
Octavia	"Maybe?" Octavia said, with a quick glance towards Duke...'s back, yes. She wasn't sure it was all that likely that the kid was another victim, but it also made sense that he might be. "Trying to find him seems like the best bet, either way."
Tyler	"Totally," Duke agreed, still scanning the hallways. Or, his body agreed and scanned the hallways, anyway. Duke was screaming internally and trying to figure out how one resisted another consciousness invading your own. You don't. Moron. Another consciousness who was a dick. "I'll check down this way. You two take the next hallway." And Duke's body headed off, without looking back or waiting for an answer.
Lucifer	Well. That was odd. "Right," Lucifer said, frowning, and shook his head. He glanced at Octavia. "Did something happen or something?"
Octavia	Octavia shook her head, also frowning towards Duke, rapidly getting further and further from them. "No." A pause. "We saw someone slit his own throat, earlier, but..." This wasn't about that, was it? (That thing that should have shaken everyone.)
Tyler	The throat slitting had definitely shaken Duke, yes. But not to the point of ignoring his partners like this. And anyway, he was now way more focussed on trying to get his body to stop and turn around and stop going upstairs, what the fuck? His body ignored him. It glanced around into rooms, and pulled out his cellphone, calling Nathan. "Duke?" Nathan answered. "Where are you?" "Upstairs," his body answered. "There's some psychopath in scrubs following me. He's acting all twitchy like that kid Josh was. What the hell's going on here?" Fuck you fuck you you liar, fuck you Duke's body smirked. "Tyler must know we're onto him," Nathan said. "He's possessed someone else." TYLER? Duke asked. What the fuck, dude, I felt sorry for you! And now you're helping me out. Way more than a free drink ever would. So thanks! "Duke," Nathan was saying. "That person's an innocent victim, so don't engage." "Got it," Tyler said. He hung up on Nathan as he spotted a walk in vault in one of the rooms he was walking past. Perfect.
Lucifer	"...But?" Lucifer prompted, blinking at her. "I believe that is something that would shake a human..."
Octavia	"Didn't shake me," Octavia said, more absent than she actually felt about it. (A lot more, in fact.) She was still looking down the hall -- Until her gaze darted up to him, and she shook her head. "I'm gonna go after him." They couldn't let him go alone, could they? With all this going on. "And you'll take the other one?"
Lucifer	Lucifer made a faintly strangled noise. He wanted to go after Duke, as well. But if Duke was fine, they could be letting an important lead go, and-- "Okay," he said. "Call me if you need me."
Octavia	Octavia felt that noise in her chest, he could rest assured. She gave him a nod with something of a fervent quality to it, and gave his hand a little squeeze. And then she let go, and took off down the hallway. He couldn't have gotten that far, right?
Lucifer	Lucifer watched her go. Too long, really. Then turned for the other hallway, and started off that way.
Tyler	Upstairs, Tyler, wearing Duke like a cheap suit, paced back and forth in front of the vault while he waited for Nathan and Lexie to appear. Stupid meddling cops. He just needed to get rid of them and dodge the other couple -- who the hell were they, anyway? That chick was not a cop -- and then maybe hit up this guy's bar for some cash. Then he could leave town, free and clear. Fuck you. Octavia is going to kick your entire ass. Don't think my face will stop her. Tyler smirked faintly. If he could work out how to get this Duke guy to shut up while he did all that, that'd be great too.
Octavia	Octavia's approach was signaled by the sound of her boots against the floor. She almost rushed right past the room he was in, but caught sight of him just in time. "There you are," she said, on a little huff of relief. "What's going on?"
Tyler	Tyler looked up, shoving the errant lock of hair out of his face. He was going to need to get that cut soon, too, jesus. What was this guy, some kind of hippie? Don't you dare. "Hey," he said, giving Octavia a tight smile. "I think I've got him. Just waiting for, uh --" Shit, what was that detective's name? I am not helping. "-- Uh, the others to catch up with us."
Octavia	Octavia might've wondered about that hesitation, but her attention was already drawn to the closed door. "He's in there?" A beat. "You put him there?" This was why she hadn't wanted to let Duke go off by himself.
Tyler	"Yeah, I --" "Duke?" Came Nathan's voice from the hall. Tyler looked past her. "In here!" Nathan and Lexie appeared in the door. Tyler shrugged. "I may have engaged a little." He gestured back to the door behind him. "He's fine." Nathan pulled out his gun and nodded to Octavia and Lexie. "Stay back." He slowly approached the door, gun up and ready.
Octavia	This was one of those moments where Octavia found absolutely no reason to argue with Nathan. She stayed back, her eyes trained on the door.
Tyler	Tyler opened it, keeping the door between himself and the interior -- and as soon as Nathan looked in, he slammed it into Nathan's side, knocking him off balance and snatching up his gun. He brandished it at Lexie and Octavia, gesturing for them to follow Nathan into the vault. "Move!" Oh, big mistake, Duke thought gleefully. Shut up!
Octavia	Octavia's eyes had gone wide at the initial move with the door, but now they were narrowed as she looked at -- Not Duke. "Nomonjoka," she spat, because anger was always the easiest to reach for. Especially when she needed it to take over all the space that would otherwise have filled with terror.
Tyler	The fuck did she call me? Yes take him down take him down Tavi you promised. . . . "This is a trap," Nathan said, because someone always had to state the obvious. "You're Tyler." "Surprise," Tyler said. He circled Lexie and Octavia, hand out. "Give me your cellphones. Now!"
Octavia	Octavia was slow to relinquish her phone, but she did. The guy wearing Duke like a suit seemed a little jittery. She was trying to calculate how to best use that to her advantage.
Tyler	Tyler was so jittery. The angry ranting voice in his head describing the many ways that this woman could dismantle him slow and bloody wasn't helping. "I just got that," Lexie muttered as she handed her own phone over. Tyler jammed them into Duke's pockets and started aggressively gesturing them into the vault again. "Move. And don't try anything or I start shooting!"
Octavia	What Octavia - who was still not moving, by the way - needed right now was a distraction. She was counting on Nathan beginning to talk any second now.
Tyler	Nathan was just working with her perfectly today! "Your trouble kicked in after the car crash, didn't it, Tyler?" he asked, voice even. De-escalating, even. "Then you figured out how you could use it to kill Josh." Tyler scowled, the gun wavering between Octavia and Lexie. "Josh was an accident. I was lying there in that bed, paralyzed, and then suddenly I was in Josh when he was out with my girlfriend, and I found out what they were doing. . . ."
Octavia	Octavia tuned out most of what he was saying. (He sounded like Duke. He didn't sound like Duke.) She was watching the gun. And watching his face, hoping Nathan kept drawing the kid's focus to himself.
Tyler	"So you killed them both on purpose?" Lexie asked, drawing Tyler's attention back in her and Octavia's direction. "My life was ruined!" he cried. "And they they were supposed to be my friends." That came out so young even Duke, tucked back in the corner of his own brain, couldn't help but pity the kid. Until his voice turned dark again. "But then I realized what I could do. It was my chance. They got what they had coming." Fuck you, kid.
Octavia	Goddammit, Lexie. Octavia shifted away from her as much as she dared - which was definitely not a lot. Just a subtle, slow shifting of her weight onto her other foot.
Tyler	"You need things, don't you," Nathan said. Tyler listened, but kept focused on the girls this time. "Objects? The real you holds on to something, and that lets you control whoever gave it to you. When you possessed the orderly, you were holding a remote he gave it to you." "And Josh and Katie They gave you get-well cards," Lexie said, easing slowly towards Tyler -- and away from Octavia. "Duke gave you that drink ticket," Nathan said. Tyler looked back at him. "Right after you gave me your business card, so don't try anything."
Octavia	This would have been a great time for a one-liner, but Octavia wasn't really that kind of person. So she just acted, abruptly. Trying to play to the element of surprise, surging forward and grabbing at the arm holding the gun to wrench it to the side. (A risky move, yes, but so were all moves when someone was waving a gun at you.)
Tyler	If it had actually been Duke in control -- or anyone else with actual gun handling training -- it might have gone a little better for her. They would haven't known better than to try to tighten their grip when she grabbed him, and wouldn't have just fired the damn thing wildly. Lexie shrieked at the gunshot. Nathan shouted, and Tyler flinched hard. In the back of his mind, Duke went very very still. The running commentary he'd been providing cut off in to the dull, stressed static of helpless terror.
Octavia	Octavia's ears were ringing. She gave a muted gasp, staggering backwards a step, grabbing at her upper arm. It didn't hurt yet. It would in a second. Blood seeped between her fingers.
Lucifer	There had been no sign of anyone like the man Duke had described - at least, not anyone Lucifer could place as present in the room where they'd found the body. And so he had started to make his way back slowly, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, and... ... That was a gunshot. He broke off into a run, blind panic striking him deep inside the heart.
Tyler	Octavia might just be the calmest one around right this moment. Tyler stared at the blood in panic -- and . . . hunger? -- his body swaying towards it, then jerked upright and aimed the gun at Lexie. "That's right, I will shoot! So don't fuck with me and get in the vault!" "Shit, okay, okay," Lexie said, hands up. She came over to guide Octavia inside, where Nathan was frowning and tugging his jacket off to staunch the wound. "Move, move!" "Tyler, you can't keep this up," Nathan said, voice low but full of urgency. "It was on your charts. Your real body is falling apart the more you possess people. You're gonna die." Tyler smirked, urging Lexie and Octavia in with both the gun and the door. "Which is why I'm trading my body in for this one. Permanently."
Octavia	There was, for the first time, fear in Octavia's eyes. And that feeling overpowered anything else. She didn't feel her feet move at Lexie's urging, although they did. Didn't feel the pain begin to burn her arm, even though it did. That she was standing in the vault, now, didn't even register. She stared at -- Tyler. (At Duke's face.)
Tyler	Duke hadn't recovered yet, either. Which only made Tyler smile as he shoved at the door, using it to force Octavia and Lexie the rest of the way in. That's right, bitch. Hot pieces of ass like her fawn all over you, don't they. I mean. Over me, now. Duke simmered in his corner, wishing there was something, anything he could do to wipe that look off of Octavia's face.
Octavia	The door closed with a thunk. Octavia's head whipped around as she looked at -- Four walls, far too close together. No other door, no windows. Now the reality of the small, closed space was beginning to rapidly sink in. A wave of panic threatened to surge up, over where she was, over what was about to happen to Duke, and that feeling was hopeless. But there was still something else, and she clung to that thought with all she had when she gasped in a breath, and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Lucifer!"
Lucifer	Lucifer would hate himself for not getting here sooner, later. But he was here, now. Rounding the corner, eyes big and panicked. "Duke!" he yelled, his eyes falling on his boyfriend first, and then the closed door-- "Octavia!"
Tyler	Tyler rolled his eyes and waggled the gun at Lucifer. He'd had enough of playing pretend; he just wanted to skip town already. "I fucking shot her. Now get out of my way, fancy pants, or I'll shoot you too." idiot, Duke managed. Fuck off, answered Tyler.
Octavia	Octavia could hear something, but couldn't really make out what was being said. But she banged her fists against the door. Well. One of them, anyway. Her other arm wasn't doing great, not that that kept her from trying.
Lucifer	That was a fantastic way to make yourself, rather than Octavia, Lucifer's first priority. Gold star, Tyler. Lucifer's eyes flared red. "You get out of him," he snarled, taking a step closer. "Right. Now." It was more of a hellish growl, really.
Tyler	Tyler let out a disgusted, frustrated noise, and shot at Lucifer. Look, it had worked on the scary goth chick, okay?
Lucifer	There were some real disadvantages to being physically vulnerable to your partners, even if their bodies were currently hijacked by an absolute moron who deserved punishment. The bullet buried itself in Lucifer's chest, tearing through a muscle that held his shoulder in place. He made a raw, unearthly noise, his body rocking back-- --and then lunged forward at him. He was still a bloody celestial.
Tyler	And Tyler had no idea about that, so he'd started running the minute he shot, assuming that the guy would be down and out, but that the hospital would be coming to investigate the gunshots at any moment. He made use of Duke's long legs and agility to bolt around Lucifer and out the door while he was still reeling. Duke had moved from static to screaming obscenities in a multitude of languages, which only made the adrenaline in his body pump harder and drive him faster. Get used to this, bitch. We're never seeing those two again.
Octavia	Octavia had heard another gunshot. The banging on the door was extra frantic, now.
Lucifer	Lucifer twisted around, eyes still red. He was going to get this bloody body snatcher and his wrath would not-- Octavia. --and then the noise penetrated his mind. He hissed a curse and ran towards the door. There was no need to yank it off its hinges. No need at all. But he did.
Octavia	Octavia gave a gasp when the door shifted - and then there was no door. And she was standing there, with Nathan's jacket haphazardly wrapped around her arm, a part of it drenched a deep red. Lexie was standing beside her, Nathan behind them. Octavia's eyes were wide, and wild. And the first hoarse thing out of her mouth was, "Where is he?"
Lucifer	"I don't know. He ran," Lucifer said tersely, rushing towards her. "Your arm!"
Octavia	Octavia could not have cared less about her arm. Didn't even look down at it. "You have to find him."
Lucifer	"After we get you a proper bandage," Lucifer snapped. "Octavia, you're practically gushing blood."
Octavia	"He wants to take Duke over for good!" Octavia wailed, turning towards Lexie. "Tell him!"
Lucifer	"Then we don't have time to waste on standing around arguing." There was enough terror in Lucifer right now and he didn't want to waste time on it. "Let's get your arm patched up quickly and we'll fly after him, come on, Octavia."
Nathan	"Get her to a doctor," Nathan said, nodding to Octavia's shoulder. "We'll start looking." He flicked a glance at Lexie -- he really missed Audrey right about now -- who shrugged and nodded back. "We'll find him. I won't let Tyler keep him." He didn't say it -- basically ever -- but he still cared about Duke, too.
Octavia	Octavia was having to count on that. Just this once. She didn't agree in any verbal way, but she stopped arguing, at least. And took a step forward, to get out of the room with no door. It was wobbly.
Lucifer	"Good," Lucifer said, watching her move. His eyes darted up towards Nathan's face, and for once, there was no snark to be found in it. "Thank you," he said. Then he turned, and crowded behind Octavia.
Nathan	Nathan nodded back, and he and Lexie started off towards the door to the hospital. If Tyler was going to keep Duke, he'd need funds. And the one place Tyler knew for sure Duke could access them would be the Gull.

---

Tyler & Wade

Everyone in town knew about the Grey Gull, so Tyler knew just where to go after fleeing the hospital. This Duke guy was loaded -- it was the best bar in town. Tyler would swing by there, rob the place blind, and then head for Canada. Or maybe Atlantic City? No. Mexico. "Back so soon, little brother?" a voice asked as he searched the bar -- the stupid guy was being no help in finding the safe. "What's the, uh, trouble du jour?" Fuck. Why did this body have to be so popular? Tyler ignored the guy. "You gonna fill me in, huh?" the man asked, then sighed. "Figures. Why would you let me help?" Wade! Duke cried, desperately trying to wrench control of his body back. Wade!! He was giving Tyler a headache. There had to be something he could do to make the guy shut up. "Actually, maybe you can help," Tyler decided, turning to the older man. "See, t-there's this, um." What words were those cops using? "This Troubled guy. Who can possess people." Wade looked impressed. "Really? Wow. That can happen?" "Weird, right?" Tyler asked. "Yeah. Yeah, he he can jump into another person's body and and control them for a while, but then whoosh." Tyler spread his hands. "He ends up back in his old body. He's trying to figure out how to keep that from Happening, how to stay in the other person's body." Wade nodded slowly, then shrugged. "Well, maybe if he, uh I don't know kills the old body, he can stay in the new one." Wade you fucking idiot, Duke said. Tyler smiled. "That'd be a really good idea." He nodded. Maybe having a big brother wasn't so bad. "Thank you. You've actually been very helpful." He turned back to trying to open the register. "Duke?" Wade said, suspicious now. "It's not you, is it?" Tyler sighed and straightened. He turned, tilting his head. "No, it's not." He slammed his fist into Wade's face, knocking him to the floor. Damn, but this body was powerful. He could get used to this. fucking idiot fuck get away from my brother you fucking psycho "Now," Tyler said, ignoring Duke's ranting. "Tell me, do you have a safe here?" Wade scowled up at him. "You son of a bitch. What happened to Duke?" Tyler shrugged. "He's still in here. He's just . . . riding in the backseat." I'll backseat you you fucking "Thanks to you," Tyler said, overtop Duke's rant, "I think we know how to fix that now. First, the safe." He knelt down next to Wade. "Now, do you want to tell me where it is, or do I have to beat it out of you?" Tires rolled across the gravel parking lot outside and Tyler looked up out the door with a frown. A woman was climbing out of an SUV. "And now we're out of time," he hissed. And slammed his fist into Wade's head, knocking him out.

Jennifer & Tyler

Jennifer strode into the Gull, jaw set. "Duke, I have made up my mind and and don't try to talk me out of it!" Huh. Duke had a lot of hot lady friends, didn't he. "Okay." Jennifer nodded. "I'm going back to Baltimore!" Tyler glanced to the side, waiting to see if the little voice in his head had any hints about how to react to that. ". . . Have fun." Jennifer wilted. "Okay, well, you could try to talk me out of it just a little." Not the right take then. Tyler looked her over, thought of the goth chick and the fancy man and how they'd both been so desperate to get Duke back. Guy got around. He dipped his chin, looking up at her through Duke's absurdly long lashes. "I'm sorry. I must have misunderstood. Actually, um, I'm leaving town too." He offered her a shy smile. "What do you think about coming with me?" In his corner, Duke silently despaired. Jennifer did not deserve this shit. None of them did. Jennifer frowned, blinking, and bit her lip. "Okay, I think, um. . . ." She hesitated, glancing around for Lucifer and Octavia, but didn't see anyone else. "But, uh, what -- or where --" And then Tyler kissed her. "Um!" she said. "Oh! I -- I mean, not that I haven't thought about -- with the -- and the other two -- but -- kinda fast?" "Fast can be good, though," Tyler said, as Duke's cursing built in intensity. "Right?" Jennifer studied his face. Noticed again that neither Lucifer nor Octavia were around, which seldom happened. Had they had a fight? Things had seemed tense between them after the blood stuff, but then during the yoga and all they'd been fine. . . . Stall. She should stall. "Okay! I just need to get my things." She turned to go and Tyler reached for her hand. ". . . We can get new things." Okay, she couldn't stall. But she was sure as hell going to stick to him like glue until she figured out what the hell was going on with him. "Okay," she said, a little breathless. "Yeah, I can be spontaneous! Let's go." Tyler gave her a slow, sweet smile. "I just need to make a quick stop. I need to pay an old friend a final visit." Jennifer nodded and followed him out to the SUV. Any chance she got when he didn't seem to be paying her attention, though, she started typing out a text to Octavia. sumthin up w Duke maybe a trouble???? She was not up to dealing with one of those on her own, thanks.