Hi, Steve

[Namira]

((Enzo continued from Serenity Prayer))

You knew things were fucked up when you lost one of your best friends over two days ago and didn't even start processing it until you stumbled across their dead body.

Irene's corpse was on the ground in the garage back there, and even though Vinny had listened and heard about it happening, it hadn't been there, it hadn't been in front of them.

In some tiny way, Enzo could kid themselves that if they weren't there, then it hadn't happened. See no evil.

Instead, they'd found Irene laying on the floor like some kind of discarded... thing. Enzo couldn't handle seeing her like that, had exited stage right, and headed back out into the vehicle depot itself. Today, they'd learned of a different kind of horrible to someone dying right in front of you. Someone dying when they weren't there. Without the slightest chance of doing anything about it. Another form of impotence, another form of uselessness.

Cams dead. Irene dead. Nate so despairing that Enzo didn't know if he wasn't just gonna end it for himself. Was anything they were doing making a difference? Kimiko had killed since they last met; Nancy, who herself was a murderer too. Talk about this situation and forcing people's hands however much you wanted, it was still, it was...

How could it even be considered to be right for killing someone who'd killed too? Eye for an eye—more like taking the eye of another victim because the true perpetrator was out of reach.

On reflection, Enzo's track record could be better.

Now, Enzo was sprawled out on the hood of a dilapidated car. The framework was rusty, but had warmed a little in the sun. Without a breeze, it was still maybe a shade on the cool side, but with no clouds, it was a nice day.

Heh. Nice day. No.

Good weather didn't fix all this, even if they could pretend like lying down and closing their eyes in the sun made this normal, made this just a day back home in Arizona.

"I'm sorry, Tux," they murmured quietly under their breath. "I'm just... sorry."

They were and it was true. It didn't make them feel any better.

Ten minutes, half an hour, an hour later, they straightened up, whipping themselves into a seated position. Enzo's eyes fixed on something beyond the here and now, and this place.

Then they refocused, looked around. It didn't take long to locate a camera, silently observing their every move. They'd placed it up on top of another car—a big four wheel drive—probably to get a more elevated view. It looked so strange sitting up on the roof of a car, like some kind of alien parasite, leeching off the technology.

Hopping up onto the hood, another quick jump took them up to where the camera was sitting. Enzo eyed it, then carefully moved it backward on the vehicle, turning it so that the lense faced them, and giving them some extra space.

Then, they promptly sat down, crosslegged.

Enzo took a deep breath, held it, let it out.

"My fellow Americans..." they paused, grinned, shook their head.

"Hi. My name is Vincenzo. You can call me Enzo.

I know someone somewhere back home watches this. You probably have to, for national security or some shit or something like that. Sucks, dude. I wouldn't want your job. I mean, you wouldn't want my job either, but it's pretty shit either way, right?

Anyway, guy-who-I-don't-know-and-will-never-meet-but-is-watching. I'm gonna call you Steve, just for the sake of having a name handy. Steve, I know this sucks but... yeah.

Steve I need a favour. There's someone I need you to talk to. Her name is Bee Gunnerson, my Buzz, my Hind. She's one of my best friends.

And Buzz, you had better not be watching this. You don't need to. If you have been then turn it off. I'm serious. You don't need to see this.

Anyway, Steve, back to the point. Bee knows that she's my bro, I love her to hell and back. But Bee I'm gonna say it again for the record, and that I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't look after Cameron for you. I tried, it wasn't good enough. Just, I, um, I want you to know that you'll always be my best friend, no matter what, okay? Keep going.

But there's someone else we both know, and I'd ask you to speak to him direct, Steve, but I dunno if it'd go down so well. There are, well, complications? Family stuff, don't worry about it. But Bee? Just... just let ice cream husband that I care about him a whole bunch, and to keep going too, and to... not give up, and to not be afraid to be upset.

And I um, I never resented that you wouldn't talk about me or bring me up at home. Cause I know how things were, and that they were hard. And I know I made fun sometimes or got annoyed but for real, I did understand and I do understand. I know you weren't ashamed or anything.

Just, um, keep on going, Ice Cream Husband. Don't give up. I won't either. Pinky swear."

Enzo exhaled. Long, shuddering. Their eyes glistened, but the smile remained intact.

"You don't give up either, okay Steve? Thanks for helping me out.

Everyone else, this is Enzo signing off. Tune in next week, same bat time, same bat channel."

Flashing peace signs with both hands, Enzo rose in one smooth motion, and then jumped down to the ground, landing firmly on both feet. As they began to head off, they turned back to the camera atop the car and waved cheerfully back.

In spite of everything, they felt just a little lighter.

((Enzo continued here))