"I need cooperation," Lenna replied. "And understanding. Because you see... and this truth kind of hurts." Gulp. "He trusts me. ... Not just because I've been helping him take over countries, no. But because when I first came to him about the job, I brought with me a few ideas, and a couple of recruits. Some names of people I thought might be useful to him. Meld... Michael... you." She looked Lori in the eye. "This was after I'd met you, when you were in Michael's body, and I need you to understand, it wasn't really you, so much as the organization Mars worked with. It wasn't anything personal, and I wasn't intentionally trying to backstab anyone. I hardly knew anyone. This was before I'd actually realized Slate was as stupid and sloppy as he is. And that's why..." Dramatic pause. "He trusts me. Because I've given him ideas in the past, and shown him that I have excellent judgment for these sorts of things. I suggested I spy on the Order, and... I can just as easily spy on him for you. And he takes suggestions from me, so in answer to your first question... yeah. I've got an idea of how we can take him down. Like Achilles, with his tendon. Slate's got a weak point, too."

Cooperation? She felt herself closing off to the idea before it was even pitched. But this was Lenna. It was going to cost her something to do this favor. Lori could tell before the other blonde was done. It would cost too much, but for Lenna. She would help her be her own made woman.

If Lenna could bear the knowledge and still meet Lori's eyes, then it was Lori's responsibility to share the weight of that gaze. But she didn't have to like it. Spying. On her family. On her home. On the safe place she had been trying to scrape out for the others.

"What did you tell him?" She tried not to be angry. Lenna's reasons had been survival of the fittest. Lori really should never be trusting these adapteds. They just kept hurting her in the end. For now? She could redirect that rage to be productive for Lenna.

"I guess it doesn't matter what he knows so long as he goes down."

She didn't like it. Lenna knew. Lori's tone didn't hide the fact. Lenna could still sense it, underneath all of that, like sensing a tell. This sort of information would bother anyone. Lori was a member of 'anyone'. This bugged her. Lenna hoped she could regain the woman's trust. She knew she'd just shot her foot. It would take time to heal. All she could offer was time, and a band-aid. Band-aids only cover. They don't make things all better. Lori asked what Lenna had told Slate, then said it didn't matter. She answered. It was a band-aid.

"About kidnapping Henrietta. About what you were up to, with creating the drug, and talking with people about selling it. About shaking down people for protection money. Basic things. I can stop at any time, but I have to keep feeding him something, I figure. Lies. Those work. If I keep up the ruse, I've got to make him believe I'm still loyal. It might be hard... Henrietta was a friend, too. I doubt he'll call on me to do anything like what you'd ask of me, though." She was frowning. This whole thing was an unpleasant conversation. How had she thought coming clean would be great, again? Oh yeah. The end result. "Slate does not make the most use of my talents. I still maintain that you can. And like I said, Slate trusts me. His weak point will be his undoing. ... I can't expect you to trust me right now." She got quiet. "That's good. You've got more sense than Slate."

It was one blow after another. She had told him... everything. Well, not everything. Not the things she hadn't told anyone in the world. The things she kept hidden in her heart were hers and hers alone. She was right to keep them there. Lori clearly needed a lesson in who to trust.

"Tell him whatever you need to take him down. It seems like you've been doing as you please anyway."

She wasn't angry. Her tone was more... defeated. Everything. The drug. That it was her doing. The insurance company. Her careful little house of cards was tumbling down.

No. That was ridiculous. Slate knowing didn't change all that much. It upped her personal risk factor, certainly, but she knew how to keep her nose clean when she wanted to. And it didn't sound like Slate had the loyalty that... that Lori liked to believe she had. They were family, dammit, and one psychic wouldn't change that. Especially once he was stripped of influence.

Lori, never the obedient one, balled her hands into fists and resolved to change a few things. "What can I do?"

It was so unlike her, to sound defeated, like a boat at sea, all the winds from its sails, left to drift aimlessly in the waters, becalmed. The news had stalled her, left her without guiding wind. It just wasn't like her, to sound like that. Lenna did not believe truly that Lori could give in so quick.

And, she couldn't. That was good. Maybe for a minute, she'd drift, yeah, but only while checking her compass, changing her sails, and gathering directions. She'd even break out the paddles if she had to. Lori didn't give in that well. If there was anything she failed at, it was giving up.

Yup. She had a drive Lenna just didn't see in Slate. She asked what she could do to help Lenna.

Lenna shifted in the bed, and stretched one arm flush against her chest. She tilted her neck, till it popped. This wasn't the time for bold requests and plotting. "Let's get out of here," She requested. "We can talk shop later." When they were in a location more secure.

((OOC: Now's a good a time as any to wrap the thread. Take us there, Ghosty~))

What could she do? She could wait. Waiting really wasn't her strong point. The hard part was making up her mind. Once she had done that it was like all the worry melted away and she wanted to do something. Lenna wasn't ready to start anything here. Even if Lori considered this place pretty safe, that was probably for the better.

"Yeah... let's go. But not back home..." Lenna was going to have to make her own safe place now. Lori couldn't defend her any more.