'The Pit: Hell Frozen Over' - Arc 3, Chapter 3: 'The One Truth' (Closed, Started)

[Fappy]

Kusanagi listened to her words intently. It was best to be civil in this situation. She may speak in metaphor, but she doesn't hide daggers in her words nor did she speak in a condescending manner. Kusanagi recognized this but wasn't sure whether it was a good or bad thing. Just what was this woman all about?

In any case, she couldn't argue Talon's logic and nodded with a feint smile, "Had you told us we were free to leave right away I think I may have argued a debt needed repaying. As before, I can't speak for the Freemen but I don't mind lending a hand in making up for lost capitol."

The Talon was an imposing figure to say the least, but Kusanagi had to act strong. Talon needed to understand that she wasn't a cowering little girl. She took a step forward, putting less than meter between them. Kusanagi spoke in a hushed tone so that only the two of them, Acolyte and Riley could hear them, "If it had not been for your intervention, Nikolai would have died of his wounds and we would have been made to flee from his comrades. I cannot thank you enough for that. If you'd be willing to accept it, I have medical experience that could be put to good use." She offered her hand as she spoke.

 

[The Funslinger]

Korovitch saluted. "As my men have the day free today, I shall be visiting Beaumont this evening. She's still in the onsite wards, though I understand she's soon to be moved for therapy and official sick leave."

With that, he turned and walked away. There were any number of messages in what Lee had said about the man Cohen. 'Don't fuck with me, or you'll die' being one that did jump out at him. But he thought it was more personal. Lee had wanted him to know people who'd helped Cornelius, a man Luka had reason to despise even past the grave, would meet sticky ends. Was the Colonel trying to win him over for something? Ensure his loyalty?

Korovitch was a literal minded man, with little patience for games. It was too soon to tell.

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"Since then, can you truly say that your path has always been clear, that you have never felt lost? Has what they taught you truly given you an answer to everything you've encountered?"

"I don't suppose it's always been straightforward, but I'm still alive. At this point, that's all the guidance or help I need."

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"Rest assured, you will not be forced to make any kind of commitment beyond honest repayment of debts."

Riley chuckled softly at this. The sound set Odin's tail swishing back and forth amiably.

A slight smile on his face, Riley said, "honest repayment of debts. Everything is a double edged blade; even being pulled out of the fire." He chuckled again.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

The Talon accepted the offer of a handshake, with her left arm. The cold metal fingers wrapping around Kusanagi's hand. From the way she could move these artificial digits with such softness, you could never guess that the arm had the strength to crush bones into dust.

"Thank you." The Talon offered politely "I'm sure your help will be most appreciated. A dangerous mission awaits us soon, a mission that will be instrumental to The Great Revolution.

In any case, I feel that this Nikolai will be up and about soon enough. The surgery was extensive, but he strikes me as the sort who wont stay confined to a bed any longer than he must. That said, his recovery will be a long process, and if he has someone he trusts with the skills necessary to help him, then all the better."

On that note, The Talon turned and spoke clearly to the rest of the congregation.

"I have other business that I must attend to. You will all see me again soon enough, but in the meantime our Wolf Brother will take good care of you."

She left the hanger, heading in the direction of her private quarters. These 'Free Men' may be just what she required to tip the balance over these next few days, rag-tag as they were. The key would be their leader, for only the two outsiders seemed willing to speak without him.

=========================================================================================================================

Back underground, the effects of the sedation were starting to wear off. The last couple of hours had been undoubtedly the most painful of Nikolai's entire life, and yet... there had been no screaming inside his head, and the fire behind his eyes hadn't ignited once more. Nikolai felt lighter somehow, as if the Metal Woman had drained a swelling inside of him.

At the end of his left leg, something that wasn't his left foot twitched. Sitting up, Nikolai inspected his new addition. Her arm had been slender, designed with elegance in mind. Nikolai's new leg had obviously been forged around a very different philosophy. The cylindrical block of metal that started just below his left knee was heavy, joined to his flesh by a ring of angry scar tissue. Though not visible through the solid outer casing, all the internal components that were present in the arm must also be present here. Nikolai found that if he concentrated very hard, he could turn his new ankle, a ball joint at the end of the metal rod comprising the lower half of his shin. Below the ankle, his new foot consisted of a heel and two large toes, represented in blocks of vulcanized rubber, durable, and deadly as a blunt force weapon. Ne knew he would be clumsy at first. Every sensation was dulled, except at the points where metal met flesh, where every nerve seared white hot.

A fair few minutes afterwards, Nikolai was walking through a labyrinth of windowless corridors. Trying to find the surface, trying to find the others. With every other step, the hallways would reverberate with a deep, hydraulic clunk.

 

[Fappy]

Once Talon was gone Kusanagi let out a sigh of relief. Talking to that woman had been... stressful. She had an aura about her that made you feel uneasy. Uncertain. About everything. She was gone now, however, and they were left alone with no one but this "Wolf Brother" to keep them company.

Kusanagi looked to the wolf standing by its master's side. She offered a feint smile and approached it. It took up a defensive posture but didn't growl. She knelt down beside it and offered a hand for it to smell. Before Riley could protest she spoke, "Don't worry. I know a thing or two about taming wolves."

Then the growling started. A lot of growling. Kusanagi retracted her hand but did so slowly. She looked into the beast's eyes. It would not stand down. With her hand now at her side her smile grew. Her eyes remained locked with Odin's, "He's quite protective."

She rose to her feet and backed away, allowing him the space he obviously desired, "Kind of reminds me of someone..."

 

[The Funslinger]

Riley put a hand on Odin's head and the wolf quieted immediately. "You don't tame wolves, girl. You earn their trust, kill them or stay the hell away from them."

He turned and headed to the door. After fixing Lucia with a stern stare, Odin swished his tail and followed. "If you need anything, let the guard who brings your food know. I'll be along as quickly as I can." Then he was gone.

===========================================================================================================================

Lisa took each step as gingerly as she could. Her walk had taken her from her room to the clinic reception. She had considered stepping out the door for some fresh air, but her gown wouldn't protect her against the chill for long. Eventually, one of the attendants had found her sitting in the lounging area with her book, and admonished her not unkindly for being out of her room without her crutches, though she insisted she barely needed them.

Now she was nearly back to her room, and the soreness was creeping back into her legs. Opening the door, she made the short journey to her bed and eased herself gently onto it. For some time, she stared at the ceiling, an old song stuck in her head. Shaking herself, she picked up her book and began to thumb to the page she was on, the corner of which was folded down. No sooner had she found her place when the door opened. A nurse wheeled in a little cart holding a tray. Vegetable soup and crusty bread today, with a glass of apple juice. Serviceable food, at best. When the tray was settled comfortably on her lap, the nurse began to wheel away, but then stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot! I was asked to give this to you!"

She turned back and set a small envelope on the edge of the tray. It was a ratty little thing, not even properly glued. The tab instead held in place with a patch of sticky resin. Her skin crawled seeing it. Picking it up, she smiled and thanked the woman, who left politely.

Her food forgotten and her heart hammering, Lisa broke the seal. She'd received a letter like this before. The paper inside was of a similar dubious quality to the envelope, barely more than a scrap. She read it, and then read it again.

"Merde..."

 

[Fappy]

Kusanagi watched him disappear before muttering to herself, "What do you think a dog is, asshole?" Sick of her own metaphor she went to the back of the room and sat back down against the wall. Acolyte was still standing by the door, "I don't like him."

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Neil remained in the alley for hours. He'd already smoked seven cigarettes before he forced himself to stop. It may help with the stress, yes, but it didn't do a damn thing in regards to fixing his problem.

He spent most of his afternoon trapped in his memories. Stuck thinking about all the what-if's and could-have-beens. Would Lisa turn her back on him? Would Luka here him out? How delusional was he to think such a charade would last longer than it had.

Sooner or later Lee would find him and kill him. That much was for certain. Yes, it would be easier to get it over with and fast-track his punishment, but Neil believed a life in the Pit was as fitting a punishment as any. Execution was the easy way out, but that wasn't why he was so adamant about avoiding capture.

Above all else... Neil feared his own death. Now his life rested in the hands of a woman he had wronged.

What would she do?

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"You'll have to excuse my appearance. It was a busy night."

"Oh don't worry I won't be long." Richard said. He had spent the time thinking of what to say but now he was trying to catch what he had devised. "I just wanted to share a few words before we departed to once again. It's on the matter of what is going on here."

Richard crossed his arms as he thought. "Everything's too clean here, I don't quite trust it. Has your team found any inconsistencies? Just curious..."

 

[The Funslinger]

Acolyte ran a hand through his fledgeling beard.

"Maybe. But I prefer him to the woman, I'll say that much." Now they were alone again, the Free Men went back to whatever they were doing, and Acolyte sat back down on his cot, absent mindedly chewing his heel of bread. He then spoke around a small mouthful, using what remained of the bread to pontificate with pointing motions. "He's right about one thing though, I wouldn't take the wolf lightly if I were you. Whatever his bond with it, it's still a wild animal."

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Korovitch pushed through the double doors of the canteen. Sat around a table in one corner playing poker were Hayes, Wickers and Tanner. Tanner was one of the replacement additions to Iron Squad. An African American with a good background in commando warfare. The man was always jovial, and Korovitch appreciated the morale he brought to the group. A quick glance at the table told him that he was cleaning out the other two for everything they had.

"So, how are you three enjoying the day off?"

Wickers glanced sourly at his meagre collection of chips. "Poorly, sir. If you could give me something to shoot, I'd appreciate it."

"Well, I'll give you the next best thing. We're getting new blood." He handed him the stack of files. "Seven of them, to be precise. We're going to put them through their paces."

Hayes sipped on a beer thoughtfully. "So this is meant to be a free day, and you're still working? Damn, sir."

Korovitch shrugged. "I'm going to visit Lisa later today. See how she's doing."

Wickers smiled. "I saw her a couple of days ago. Seems like she's doing better."

"I hope so."

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

After Luka had left, Lee turned to a new set of files. Two, to be specific. He now had much more important business to attend to. He pressed a button under his desk and spoke into his private intercom.

"Viper One, I'm sending you the current location of Shogun squad's patrol. Please relieve them of their duties, and inform Ln Cpl. Lewis Moore that I would like to see him in my office immediately. Have some of Viper squad escort him up here if you must."

===============================================================================================================================

Having encountered some of these Songbird Men in the corridors below, Nikolai was able to acquire an escort to where the rest of the Free Men were being held. They seemed disinclined to let him wander on his own, and Nikolai was both too groggy and too unarmed to refuse them. A few minutes later, they'd made their way outside and across to the hangar.

Clunk, clunk, clunk went Nikolai's every other step as he crossed the threshold. He scanned the room. All seemed to be present, and all seemed to be in better shape than when he had seen them last. Nikolai smiled, showing new rows of shining metal false teeth that had replaced his broken ones. Some looked pleased to see him. Others looked uneasy, as if they weren't sure it was the same Nikolai. Well enough, he would prove it to them.

He lifted his new leg high, focusing all his weight on it, before stamping on the ground with all the force he could muster. The impact made his whole skull rattle, and the leg punched its way through solid concrete as if it were dirt, creating a crater the size of a beach ball, and causing fissures to snake all around it. Wrenching his leg free, there appeared to be no damage to it. He was stronger than he thought.

Nikolai beat his chest and gave his trademark howl. He was back.

 

[Fappy]

"He's right about one thing though, I wouldn't take the wolf lightly if I were you. Whatever his bond with it, it's still a wild animal."

Kusanagi smiled with a hint of arrogance, "And we've killed plenty of those over the last few months," She crossed her arms as she spoke and looked back towards the door. "I agree about Talon though. There is something... odd about. It's almost as if--"

She stopped mid-sentence when Nikolai came stumbling into view. They truly had saved him. After a needless display of strength he howled loudly.

He certainly was back. He may have had a metal appendage now, but she could tell he was the same old Nikolai. As his men howled in return and began to gather around him Kusanagi pushed through the crowd and placed herself directly in front of him, "Looks like someone should have taken my advice back at the cave," She said with a smile.

Nikolai wasn't so vulnerable to have a light jab like that affect his morale. She could tell his joy would not be conquered so easily, "It's good to have you back, Nikolai." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his enormous frame. He was long overdue for a hug.

It looked as if Talon had begun rubbing off on her already.

 

[The Funslinger]

From a distance, Riley could hear the roars of the Free Men as their leader rejoined them. He shrugged and put them out of mind. The noise set Odin's ears swivelling in distaste. It wasn't their problem, though. What was their problem was supply and demand. The Talon hadn't been far wrong when she's said it was costing them a lot to house their guests, and one area that was hitting them hard in was the pantry. Time to hunt, already. He figured he could drop something, and have it back to the compound before the evening meal. Likely it would even be a part of it.

Man and wolf crept off into the forest. Riley was an admirably skilled tracker, but nothing beat the natural senses of a wolf. Though he checked signs himself, he followed Odin now. Fairly soon, they found promising tracks. Boar. He fished a small clay vial stoppered with an antler cork from a pouch on his belt, marked from its fellows with a unique sigil etched in. The symbol was tribal in nature, and nobody else in the compound could read them.

What was in his hand now would deaden the muscles of his prey. Taking an arrow from his quiver, he gently dipped the slate head into the jar. It came out slick and tinted with bluish grey. He corked the vial and replaced it, then unshouldered his bow and knocked the arrow. Even he could smell the boars now, and he crouched, creeping through the undergrowth, testing the bowstring as he went.

After several minutes, he was watching them, sizing them up. The largest was easily in range; a monster, laden with meat that would cook well. Odin watched. Riley drew, his muscles flexing hard. He aimed, not needing to take his time, but taking it anyway to enjoy the perfection of the shot. He fired. The arrow hit home in the grubbing boar's neck. Blood welled up and sprayed around the arrow lodged, and the boar squealed. Its fellows waddled and ran, and Odin was off. A lesser creature Riley wouldn't trust to pursue the boars alone, but Odin was an old hand at lone hunts. Meanwhile, his kill was feeling the effects of the toxin, as well as blood loss. It took a wobbling step and crashed to the earth.

When he knelt by the dying creature, he made the wound gape with finger and thumb and as the boar whined, he pulled the arrow free. It remained intact, to his pleasure. Ready to be reused. With calm efficiency, he set it down and drew his machete, bringing it across the boar's throat. Blood flowed from the wound and the creature's dying sounds went silent. He spoke in a tribal tongue, then, any trace of his English accent gone. *"I am thankful, clan spirit, for the life given so that me and mine may live. I shall honour this creature's sacrifice by living in its name, and when my time comes, I too shall give back to other creatures in this way."*

With that, he set about dragging the huge carcass back the way he came. It took all of his not inconsiderable strength to move the huge carcass, but he set off, dragging it to base. He had been gone maybe an hour, but it would take twice that at this pace. Odin would rejoin him whenever he would. He only paused by a small stream to clean the arrow he had used, before drying it on his rawhide legging and replacing it with its fellows.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Marino and Lewis patrolled around the Mid-levels once more. There was a disturbance between an inmate and another one arguing over food rations but that was defused as soon as they arrived on scene. But as they left the scene a squad of Wardens walked towards them.

"It's alright, we don't need backup for this one." Lewis said to the approaching squad.

"We're here for you, Lance Corporal." One of the said. He looked to Marino. "You and your squad is dismissed for today."

"Okay..." Marino said.

"Corporal, Lee requests your presence." Lewis sighed as he tried to anticipate as to why he was being summoned by Lee. Then it occurred to Lewis that he never was in Lee's office before. He didn't even know where it was.

"Um... of course." Lewis said. "I might need a guide. Never been to Lee's office before."

The squad collectively rolled their eyes.

"Ramirez! Escort the Corporal to Lee, ASAP!" The squad leader said. Ramirez stepped forward and motioned Lewis to follow him.

"Keep up, corporal." Ramirez said. He lead Lewis away from Mid-levels all the way to the buildings on the surface. He only remembered going there for processing or to receive his pay but never to Lee's office. The journey was far from arduous but Lewis perspired with apprehension. He wasn't sure what he was expecting from Lee but once Ramirez pointed to the door, Lewis assumed that he was getting fired. He knocked on the door.

"Uh... it's Corporal Lewis, sir." Lewis nervously said.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"So, you left your job and family behind in the relatively peaceful city you call home... who've spent their day minding the single largest concentration of psychopaths on the planet. Forgive me, but either you must be getting quite the paycheck... a change of scenery." Selina said with a degree of candor in her voice. This caused Abigail to simply freeze, her mind at a complete blank on what to say next. The question had really made her think.

Why had she come here in the first place? Abigail has begun to ask question to herself.

The money? No, such a shallow answer, I was reasonably okay financially back home.

A change in location? Perhaps a little bit, though it can get a little depressing in here at times what with the drab colour scheme.

To get away from parents? Not really, I loved Mom and Dad dearly.

A challenge perhaps? Possibly, I never really had a managerial role like this back home, but keeping track of everyone's drinks during rush hour can get a little tough a times.

Then another question came into her mind.

Do I actually enjoy working here? Kind of, I mean I get along rather well with many of the Wardens, they always seem to enjoy my company and like my conversations. Perhaps that is why I am here, I want to make the people who work here lives more meaningful in such a lifeless and inhospitable land. Though I doubt that Selina will take that as a response.

After several minutes of uninterrupted silence, Abigail had finally found her answer.

"Miss Hernandez, whilst I am afraid that I do not have a proper answer to your question; I feel as though I am important here, since here at the Gates of Pandemonium, the Wardens who work full-time, have a place where they can relax and enjoy themselves, to allow a welcome change of scenery away from the doldrums of watching over some of the worst that humanity has to offer."

 

[willofbob]

"Well..." Said Olivander, "there was a prisoner caught with contraband who got sent off with a warning, a prisoner brutalised by guards until his leg fractured, and when a guard confessed, Mr. Montoya showed more annoyance than downright anger. I don't think he believed him." The economist rubbed his eyes, "I'm not sure that's how things normally go here, though it wouldn't exactly surprise me. Come in, I've got figures I need to show someone."

 

[ProtoChimp]

Felix was busy doing pushups in Penn's cell, trying his best not to irritate his first associate within the Pitt, but he knew he had to stay in shape in this hell hole.
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Travis lay in his bed in his cell, his arm draped over his face as he contemplated the past year over and over in his mind. Was it worth it? The ***** with the Glasgow smile had struck him with such a question. What did Travis gain from any of this other than a loss of pride and pain, mental and physical pain. No doubt a guard would see him and force him to work, but he would wait until then.
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Clementina waited with a group of other Warden's charged with escorting some of the executives around the mid levels, they were taking their time and trying her patience.

 

[The Funslinger]

Lisa stared at the ceiling, counting the tiles. She was that bored. She was so bored that she was just about to start counting the perforations in each tile when there was a knock at the door. The noise filled her heart with apprehension, and sweat beaded her forehead. It would be him.

Wiping it away, she sat up in the bed, and called out in her lilting tones, "come in."

The door opened, and Luka walked in. She looked him in the eye, though his eyes were always a little unnerving. Pale blue, and icy. The look of eyes that had seen too much. For a moment, she just watched him. He was strong and so clearly there, it made her feel secure. He reminded her of a cliff face overlooking the ocean. The water might wear away some of the surface, but the cliff would be there, strong and immovable long after she was gone.

"Are you going to sit, sir?"

He shook his head slightly. "I'm quite comfortable standing here, Specialist."

She thumped her head theatrically against the pillow. "If you don't loosen up a little, I'll whack you with my crutch. Please, sit!"

Sighing, he stepped forward, and took the slightly delicate wooden chair by the bed, sitting stiffly as though he'd forgotten how to do it. She knew it was the awkwardness of forced casualness, though. She'd seen him move in action. Despite being a man in his forties, Luka Korovitch was a lithe, lethal blur. He surprised her then, by speaking first.

"So, how are you? Are you walking any further?"

She favoured him with a smile. "Oh, yes. I even feel like I'm being excessively limited."

"Colonel Lee asked after you."

"Oh, really?" That was surprising. It was just a pleasantry, but her brief occasion to see the man hadn't given her the impression he was a man for pleasantries outside of necessity. What did he want from Luka? If he was putting him to use, as he had in the initial formation of Iron Squad, the request she was ruminating on might be more difficult than she thought. Though she wasn't sure she would bring it up.

"Yes, I told him your operations went well. Any word on when you'll be moved from RACDI-Alpha?"

"They tell me it'll be some time within a couple of weeks. Though I wish they'd be more specific."

There was a pause, then. It dragged out. She looked at her hands. At the round scar on the back, echoed on the palm where the bullet had passed through. It was much fainter if slightly wider on the palm, where the exit wound had been, but they had given her skin grafts on the palm to stop scar tissue affecting mobility. Except in certain lights, it merely looked as though the natural lines of her palm stopped in the center. Then she looked up at Korovitch, who was looking past her to a small painting on the wall. He might have been handsome once; in a grim, hard set sort of way. Until the blade he now carried had rent his face open and left the scar. A huge, deep thing that stood out in partial shade.

She cleared her throat, softly. Yes. She would do this thing. He looked calmly at her; expectantly. She spoke. "Luka, I've had a letter."

"From who?"

"I... you should read it for yourself." She reached under her pillow and brought out the stained envelope. When it was in his hands, he opened it delicately, and tugged out the scrap of paper inside. A few seconds past as he read; his eyes moving along the lines calmly. When he spoke, it was a single word.

"Fuck."

"Exactly."

"So, this man is..."

"The one that made me fall."

"Cornelius' dog?"

"Yes. Can you do it?"

"Do you want me to?"

That gave her pause. After a moment, she said, "I asked, didn't I?"

He nodded. "Alright. I have additional men to train, which is beginning tomorrow. So I shall go tonight."

"How will you gain access?"

"Simply," he said and stood up. "I'll tell you all about it when I get back," he said idly as he left.

"Please do. Au Revoir."

 

[Fappy]

Neil made his way over to one of the warden outposts in the Upper levels. They were relatively small buildings that were used as checkpoints for wardens who were coming and going between the lower levels and the surface. If there was something Venture Horizon was good at it was employee time allocation. They were out to save every dime. They were rarely guarded by more than a single person at any given time... not that it really mattered. There was never really anything of worth to any inmates to begin with save clean paper, writing utensils and a coffee machine.

Strangely enough this wasn't the first time he'd had to break into one of these buildings. In his former life he had been ordered to manipulate Venture's records. This involved more than a few B&Es. He snuck by the warden on duty with easy and found his way to a back door. The simple padlock was easily cracked and he was inside.

Locking the door behind him, Neil found a table in the back room and set up the meeting location. Two metal chairs across from each other, situated around a round coffee table. If Luka brought guests they would have to stand. He removed his jacket and vest to reveal his black long-sleeved shirt beneath and placed them on the back of his chair. He removed his weapons: a 9mm pistol and three knives of various sizes, placing them on the table next to his ski mask.

He stood there with his hands on his hips, surveying the room he'd just put together.

It would have to do. He looked down at his watch. It'd be at least an hour until Luka arrived. At least, that's what the Ragged Man said. Neil sighed and walked to the back of the building.

He might as well brew some coffee while he waited.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"You may enter, Corporal." Lee announced, his tone rigidly formal. "Please take a seat."

Lee himself remained seated on the other side of his desk, the files he had been studying kept in the top draw, out of sight for now.

===============================================================================================================================

Nikolai was a little taken aback by Kusanagi's greeting. He wasn't used to physical contact of a non-violent variety. Had anyone ever held him like this before? Nikolai couldn't remember. Nothing remained of The Boy except fire and screams, and now he wondered if even that would fade. It was strange, the screams and the brief flashes of remembered agony that could pass through the doors in his mind that Nikolai had barred shut were his torment, and yet the thought of being without them disturbed him. Without the screams he would have no name, and were it not for the pain he would have never grown strong. Would he be just an empty shell? Muscle for whoever saw fit to use him, just as his old Master had intended?

Perhaps not. Perhaps, if the screams faded, some of The Boy that had been lost would return, as if he had been hiding just out of site the whole time. Nikolai was not an optimist, but a small measure of hope seemed appropriate at this time.

He returned the hug, gingerly; aware that while Kusanagi was no waif, Nikolai had strength enough in his massive arms to crush her bones into dust without even meaning to. Over her shoulder he spied Acolyte, attentive as ever, and distant. Nikolai still didn't trust him. He had helped the Free Men, but that was no proof when his own survival depended on it. The Man made no sense, decrying the killing of those that would show no mercy themselves, and yet killing alongside them when it suited him. He came from far away, and sometimes he talked as if he was still there, looking down on the rest of them with faint, guarded distaste.

Nikolai understood little, and liked even less. However, now was as good a time as any for breaking new ground, so long as Acolyte was willing to prove himself.

"You." He said, letting go of Kusanagi and striding up to him. "You are not trusted. You are not one of us. That can change, but first you must fight."

The Free Men would continue to resent Acolyte's presence unless he proved his strength in the way they all had. As leader, Nikolai could tolerate no more discord. They were not Wolves anymore. To be a brother, Acolyte need swear no allegiance, nor wear any uniform, nor take any new name. All he must do, is prove himself worthy.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"Come in, I've got figures I need to show someone."[/b]

Richard nodded and entered the Olivander's room curious about the figures that he needed to show. No doubt it was just calculations, and theorems about the efficiency of the Pitt. He acknowledged the importance of such studies and career choices but he never quite liked sitting around, calculating for something he can just do. Either way he wanted to see what the good Doctor had in terms of figures. The story about the prisoner being brutalized did pique some of his interest.

"Sounds interesting...." Richard said.

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Lewis entered the room. He looked calm on the outside but his mind was heavy with apprehension. He had seen Lee before but never this up close and personal. The Tiger of the Tiger Republics was seated behind the desk awaiting Lewis to take a seat and so he did.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Lewis calmly asked.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

While the Corporal did an admirable job of matching Lee's professionalism, Lee had been in this profession more than long enough to know when a man is intimidated. There was fear behind the Corporal's eyes, and also, if Lee was not mistaken, a hint of reverence. He got that from time to time, whether it be from fresh-faced recruits, with their green fantasies of becoming legends, or from fellow veterans who had taken to war better than most, and who projected their lust for it onto Lee's reputation, and assumed him to be some kind of paragon for all they stood for. In truth, their was no-one on this earth who held Lee's deeds in less esteem that Lee himself.

Nevertheless, this combination that existed within the Corporal would be useful, and so naturally he would make use of it. The contents of this conversation were ethically fragile to say the least, and anything that gave Lee more control over the situation was a necessary utility.

Necessary. The word had tasted sour for far too long. It was always necessary[/b], every deplorable, underhand and thoroughly rotten deed he had done had been born out of necessity, and this is what it amounted to. What meager, petty helpings of progress, what slim hopes had been gifted to him by doing what was necessary! Whatever awaited Lee on the other side of the abyss, on the day he must finally cross it; be it paradise, damnation, nothingness or some new beginning (he was keeping his options open), he would embrace it gladly, on the proviso that never again would an issue of necessity make him feel so sullied.

"I did." he replied coolly. Ever the soldier, ever the tactician, any internal turmoil that the Colonel wrestled with was hidden underneath a steadfast stoicism. "First things first, I received a report from Lt. Com. Montoya about the use of excessive force on an Inmate in the Lower Levels three days ago, and I want to hear your side of the story. Do you have anything to say?"

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"Ah, so you feel worthwhile here, that's it." Selina responded kindly, taking another generous sip of her drink. "I can respect that. Time was I would never have been seen dead in a place like this, so close to the front line as it were. It would have been beneath my station, an embarrassment even. To say I was comfortable growing up in Iberia would be a criminal understatement. I had high-ranking ministers competing for my support when I was just 13, and you have no idea how hospitable politicians can be when they really put their minds to it. I had enough money to buy anything I wanted, and yet I seemed to pay for nothing...

My life with Venture Horizon is somewhat less glamorous, but don't think I'm complaining. It was good fun and games among the ruling classes of the Iberian Alliance, and that was precisely the problem. I never had to take it seriously, and behind the pomp do little of any global importance was being decided in the corridors of power that I was apparently destined for. By the time the fools started to sit up and take notice, we'd lost a good 80% of our territory south of the Mediterranean. Half of it captured by the Tigers, and the other half sold off to Ignite Solutions in exchange for saving our necks, and I knew that if I stayed, I'd soon fall from grace for being the only one who didn't let pride stand in the way of taking action. This is what I was made for. Being on the cutting edge. I may not be so pampered as I once was, but now I have the resources and the freedom to be part of the force that drags the human race out of our post-Cataclysm minutia and towards a new golden age. The nation states belong to the old world, and the ideals that form their very foundations died along with all those billions of people we lost during the dark times. Of course, progress has its price, but we do only what we must."