He can be a little extreme, a-and aggressive, but his heart is in the right place, Gilbert. He inspired me to go into crime-fighting in the first place, he's--
[ Nelson watches him, lips tightening in defensiveness, no matter how misplaced it is. ]
He's what? You don't even know him. And-- [ He sits up a little, voice getting a little louder as his indignation unconsciously grows. ] Most of those lowlifes deserve it!
[ His mouth opens slightly to argue back, but Nelson's last comment is what takes him aback. Instead, he stands there stunned that Nelson would ever say that. It goes against everything he's ever learned or felt about this man.
His stomach drops at the horrible realization he knows what HJ has been doing this whole time.
He can't believe it. He knows and he might be doing it himself. ]
[ The silence hangs for a few moments as Nelson both waits for Gil to say something and tries not to get any more upset; finally he stands, adjusting his tie a little absently but hastily. ]
I should probably go. I didn't come by to fight with you, Gilbert, I-- [ A beat. ] hope that you're feeling a little better now.
[Stopping some criminal. Somehow that relieves Nelson slightly, though not completely. Hooded Justice is at least still around and all right (or was, last Friday), but the why still resounds heavily. ]
Tell me everything, did you... speak to him? Was the criminal-- [ He pauses. ] He survived, didn't he?
Yes, but he was in terrible condition. [ There could have been internal bleeding. Gil did his best, but he couldn't stick around for long after he had tipped police off to his whereabouts. Whatever his crimes were, they would deal with it. ]
What happened to H-- [ He stops himself, swallowing and shaking his head. ] I mean, that's good that the man didn't-- that... I'm sure there'd have been a story in the papers if...
Nothing of importance. [ Which is mostly true. He's trying to spare Nelson, although he feels he should know what HJ did not pity Gil, but to understand that man is dangerous. ]
He always seems angry. [ He can't help but pull back, feeling Nelson is encroaching on his personal space.
And he feels guilty, despite his best intentions. He didn't want it to come to this. ]
Because he was acting out. I felt it was best for him to stay away from you. He's not... of sound mind, I think. He definitely was going to kill that man if I hadn't shown up.
[ Nelson's eyebrows furrow and he bites his lip a little harder. ]
I know he's-- he's twisted, there's something wrong with him. [ "Sick in the head," Nelson had said once, but he isn't sure anymore. ] He won't kill someone for just no reason, Gilbert. If anyone can handle him it's me.
You just said criminals like that deserved it. [ He's not about to let that go. ] I know I don't know a lot about this "hero" business, but what he was doing was wrong.
Some of them. Not death, mind you. I wouldn't-- [ He clears his throat. ] There are all kinds of criminal lowlifes out there, sometimes an example needs to be made. That's all I meant.
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[ He pauses. ]
A real hero.
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He shakes his head, not realizing it. ]
He's...
[ He almost calls him a monster. Flashing back to that alleyway and the blood all over his gloves sends a chill down his spine. ]
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He's what? You don't even know him. And-- [ He sits up a little, voice getting a little louder as his indignation unconsciously grows. ] Most of those lowlifes deserve it!
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His stomach drops at the horrible realization he knows what HJ has been doing this whole time.
He can't believe it. He knows and he might be doing it himself. ]
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I should probably go. I didn't come by to fight with you, Gilbert, I-- [ A beat. ] hope that you're feeling a little better now.
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Did you know?
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Did I know what?
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[ Nelson waves his hand in mild impatience. ]
He's either crime-fighting or-- [ "Out with boys," he wants to say but doesn't. ] No, I don't know what he's doing! God knows what!
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Though probably not over what Gil thinks. ]
You saw him?
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Last week.
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Where? When? What day? What happ-- tell me. Gilbert, please.
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Friday night... I ran into him. He was stopping some criminal, but he went too far.
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Tell me everything, did you... speak to him? Was the criminal-- [ He pauses. ] He survived, didn't he?
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[ He gets to the point: ]
Did he say anything?
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[ He bites his lip. ]
Why didn't you tell me sooner?
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And he feels guilty, despite his best intentions. He didn't want it to come to this. ]
Because he was acting out. I felt it was best for him to stay away from you. He's not... of sound mind, I think. He definitely was going to kill that man if I hadn't shown up.
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I know he's-- he's twisted, there's something wrong with him. [ "Sick in the head," Nelson had said once, but he isn't sure anymore. ] He won't kill someone for just no reason, Gilbert. If anyone can handle him it's me.
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Some of them. Not death, mind you. I wouldn't-- [ He clears his throat. ] There are all kinds of criminal lowlifes out there, sometimes an example needs to be made. That's all I meant.
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Hooded Justice said something similar.
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