Well that's not concerning at all.

"...alright."

"There's this -- thing, going around. I'm not going to try to explain it -- if you think of a drug or an illness or a hypnotic state you won't be half off. But -- it messes with people's, personalities, their goals, warps them and points them in directions they wouldn't have gone in. And I don't -- I don't think I've got it, but like I said, it's been going around, I've seen it happen to people, and -- you can't tell, from the inside, that it's happening."

"But I thought -- well, nobody really knows me, I know everyone but they don't know me -- but, is there anyone who does know me, who would notice if something was wrong?"

"And I thought of -- well, of you."

"...ah," is what she says out loud.

She looks a little like a deer caught in headlights, wide-eyed. A little more like Sal than she usually does.

Then the hesitance abruptly vanishes and she nods, firmly. "Okay. Yes, I can do that."

"I know we don't see each other much anymore. But -- if I start acting strange around you, just -- point it out."

Okay. Okay. Okay. Does Simone have anything happening in her life she wants to talk about. Simone may feel free to drown out any awkwardness with her own stuff.

Or kick Sal out on this note, that also works, it's not ideal for his internal guilt and embarrassment but he is familiar with Simone, he is done contributing words to this conversation forever now anyways.

Simone can drown out the awkwardness with her own stuff! Elsie's got a job which is a relief for both of them and here are some entertaining things that happened with men she's seeing, all names and personal identifiers scrubbed out of course, and--

(It's possible she's been more worried than she's letting on, over the last month or so.)

It's all very nicely mundane. He doesn't tell Simone that. He just lets go of some tension and nods along and laughs at the appropriate moments.

Meanwhile--

Well, he absolutely did not persuade Terrence to be more careful around Roby. Instead of thinking about that, though, he'll actually look at the mail.

He begins to sort all the mail into bills, personal correspondence, Forward correspondence, and miscellaneous leftism. (Does Oscar know the Wobblies are having a meeting? They sure do that a lot. He even used to go to some of them.)

But here's something from Jack Haynes, probably upset about how long this round of editing takes. He's not going to say it outright but Oscar appreciates the conventions of a subtly angry letter. Oscar opens it and begins reading.

Jack heard about the Forward being closed again and he thinks it's a damn shame. He can't offer money (not that Oscar would ask) but he appreciates what Oscar's done for him and it's hideous that the public can't appreciate the value of his work.

It's a really nice letter, in other words. Oscar's going to need time to think of a suitable reply but in the meantime he's going to sort everything and feel grateful that he knows Jack.

After Evie's visit to Jing Yi, she has completely disappeared.

She's gone from Terrence's and Jing Yi's apartment. She didn't even leave any sort of note.

Evie's visit was disconcerting enough-- how did she find him?-- that the next day he has to ring Terrence. It's one thing if he told her (Jing Yi definitely can't judge being taken in by her charms) but he has to check if that's how she knew. He calls Terrence, and while he waits for someone to pick up, thinks up excuses for if Evie answers the phone.

"Hello! How are you doing?"

(Has she moved her stuff out?)

(Yes.)

If he was less rattled, he'd have more time for pleasantries, but with Evie's visit and spending time in the underworld (at a range, no less!) he has no stamina for them.

"Evie came to see me-- and I don't judge if you told her-- but I need to know if you told her where I was."

Terrence isn't offended. "Goodness no!"

"She went to see you? How did it go?"

"I had to pretend to faint to get away from her, and then she patted me down."

"And-- I might just be paranoid, I have no proof and even I'm not sure, but I think I... Noticed her doing things to my head."

"What. Oh my dear."

"I'm so sorry. Goodness. I'm glad you got away."

"You know, it's the damndest thing, I was going to call you - she's moved out."

"And if you didn't tell her, I have no idea how she found me--"

"--She what? When?"

"I assure you I would do no such thing. I mean, it's reasonable to ask, under the circumstances, but. ...Last night, it seems. Didn't say a word to me. But she's gone and I have seen neither hide nor hair of her."

This is so, so incredibly alarming. "Maybe me leaving drove her off."

"That seems possible. If she couldn't find support here, maybe she went to another target...?"

He's trying to spin it off as not a big deal but he is also worried.

There is someone with mind control powers, and maybe a baby, on the loose, so Jing Yi is a bit worried too. "Who do you think she'd go to? Parker?"

"I - maybe? Why?"

"I have no idea. Who are her other friends?" If she has them? Would that be mean to say? that would probably be mean to say.

"He's dangerous but... She has the same whistle. I have no evidence they're working together, but--" he laughs, and it's completely the wrong tone for what he's going to say but he can't stop himself. "If you wanted to deliver a victim to Parker, saying you need to be rescued from him would be one way to do it."

Oh thank god. "That makes a terrible amount of logic."

"--she wanted me to kill him on the day he hunts." He has no proof, but-- it makes sense.

"...Yes, I rather see. I think, that if she comes knocking again, you would do best not to answer."