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

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"You will know tomorrow." Yu replied curtly. "For now, you need only wait. What would I gain by lying to you now, when you would find out about it before I had asked you to do anything?"

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"Would you have rather had us leave you all to die?" The Talon answered, peering over at her. "Of course, I understand that trust is a rare commodity in this world. I won't play games with you, and you shall have the full tail. We spotted you the moment your aircraft came within 250 kilometers of this base. At the time, all we saw was a Venture Horizon cargo plane coming towards us with no known intent. I was half ready to order you shot down, but as chance would have it, your vessel managed to crash quite efficiently of its own accord. I ordered scouting parties to seek out the crash site, still thinking that this was an enemy military deployment. I thought perhaps we could capture and interrogate survivors, if there were any, and if not, that we could at the very least recover some intelligence from the wreckage. Imagine my surprise, when we arrived to find bodies clearly identifiable, not as military, but as inmates of a Venture Horizon facility. Even without the serial number and black box from the aircraft, it wasn't hard to guess from your approach vector where you had come from.

Our next priority was to search for survivors. It stood to reason that, if any remained who could move under their own steam, that you would endeavor to put as much distance between yourselves and the crash sight as possible. Large fires tend to attract unwanted attention after all. It didn't take long for our best hunters to track you down, and confirm that you were indeed all escapees.

I admit, at that point I could have ordered my scouting parties to reveal themselves and take you in, which I'm sure would have saved you much in the way of hardship... provided you wouldn't have panicked and opened fire on us. You'll have to forgive me, but I haven't survived all these years fighting enemies that permanently outnumber and outgun me without a certain respect for caution. You weren't foes, yet, but neither could I determine whether or not you could be friends. Nevertheless, I kept close watch over you. Escape from a secure Venture Horizon facility is rare enough, but escape from RACDI-Alpha, the largest and most heavily guarded, with only one way out and mile after mile of flat, empty, freezing wilderness on all sides... that's unprecedented. I was curious to as to what sort of people could accomplish such a deed, and what that meant for me. Your survival skills exceeded expectations, especially considering your rough landing. However, it became more and more apparent that you weren't going to last much longer. When you came across the village, my current position became untenable. You were a part of our war now, whether either of us willed it or not. I decided to take you in, as both of the other options, namely killing you all, or waiting for you to be captured or killed by opposing forces, felt like a wasted opportunity."

The Talon smiled her kindly smile, as her metal hand delicately sythed through a buck of grapes. "And that, my dear, is where we arrive at The Point."

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"Thank you for saying so, Warden." Lee said with honesty, to which Abigail showed a brief, but professional smirk. "Although personally, I think that there was room for improvement on that score..." It was then the Warden In Chief went quiet, Abigail summarized that he might have been reliving some memories, painful or otherwise.

"Pan-Arabia," Lee said, carrying on from where he left off. "...or Bahrain, to be more specific. That's all anyone ever remembers. Myself included, to be brutally honest... I was there for all three. On the front line, in the thick of it, and yet sometimes even I struggle to recall which memory was from which battle, or even which war."

"I guess that is what happens when you perform a task for so long, the memories of it become fluid like tributaries leading into a river; you don't know where one began and another ends, even if you were there from be beginning."

"Someone should know. I owe the dead that much. What say you, Miss Nyte? Do you think you could stand listening to an old man's war stories?"

"I think I could stand to hear a few; it would be a welcome change from the drunk talk."

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"What would I gain by lying to you now, when you would find out about it before I had asked you to do anything?"

Aggie shook her head.

"I know... it feels like a dream." Aggie said, still in shock but mostly apprehension. How would Lewis react to such a hellhole? Would she have to protect him? Could she still protect him? Questions shot through her brain like bullets. Aggie looked at her hands. She felt an impulse to clean her hands followed by everything else. How would he react to her?

"Anything else you want to tell me? Is my mother here too?" Aggie nervously joked.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"No." You replied, either not recognizing, or not appreciating the attempt at humour. "There is nothing else, only that if both you and your brother follow the instructions we have given you to the letter, you will both be generously rewarded."

With that, Yu exited the cell, slithering out as quick and silent as a cat, before vanishing into the gloom. Less than a minute later, a Warden patrolled right past Aggie's cell, his flashlight sweeping down the hall, none the wiser as to what had just come to pass.

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"I think I could stand to hear a few; it would be a welcome change from the drunk talk."

Lee gave her a solemn smile. Miss Nyte was likely still expecting colourful accounts of his courage and daring. How young they all were...

"Japan was my first campaign. I was a 1st Lieutenant back then, fresh out of the officer academy in Hanoi. The Tiger Republics as a political designation was barely older than I was, and still vulnerable. It was a proxy war, in truth. The threat that most concerned the delegates in New Shanghai at the time was America, or 'The New Confederacy of the United States of America', to use its full title. In the decades following the Cataclysm, America lost almost all of its influence and resources in the Middle East, as well as having to contend with its own affluent East Coast being rendered to little more than a waste land. As such, their gaze began to turn West across the Pacific. The Tigers needed Japan to serve as it's most Easterly outpost, and a staging area for war in the Pacific, if it came to that.

The government of Japan however, had always been opposed to entering the Tiger treaty, and when further efforts were made to assimilate them through diplomatic means, they walked away from the table. Cultural context is important here. Simply refusing the Tigers would have been an obstacle, refusing to even negotiate would have been an insult, but entering negotiations simply so they could spit in our face where all the world could see. That meant war, and everybody knew it. Doubtless, the Japanese were likely arranging their own alliance with America, to protect against Tiger retaliation. It would have worked to, had our intelligence services not anticipated it.

A three month smear campaign against the Japanese government by Tiger agents working undercover in their civil service, media centers, trade unions and fringe political movements whipped up a storm of civil unrest the likes of which have never been seen before in what was usually such a deferential populace. It was a stroke of genius. The country had become ungovernable, which gave the Tigers an acceptable pretext for the 'liberation', as it was always called. As well as this, it put America in the position of being unable to intervene without facing accusations of meddling in Eastern affairs in the name of self-interest, which would have angered the energy giants who did business in that region, and that America was depending on heavily. When both sides took to the field, the Japanese were outnumbered, outgunned, and didn't even have the majority support of their own people to give them legitimacy, and when they called for help, no-one answered.

We had naval superiority on the second day, and air superiority on the fifth. Their standing army was swept aside less than a week after that, and their entire political assembly, excepting those who we had already agreed would hold power after the regime change, were taken into custody on charges of crimes against their office. Some of them were even true. It was a pathetically short war, if truth be told, and it has a reputation in history for being remarkably clean. However, that's usually because history tends to skip over what happened next.

While the smear campaign had done its job, their were still large pockets of the native population opposed to Tiger rule. The last thing Shanghai wanted was for us to become bogged down in a messy insurgency when the possibility of war across the Pacific was still their main concern. The troops on the ground, of which I was one, were ordered to crack down, hard, on any signs of dissent. Freedom of communication was restricted, borders were closed, entire families disappeared in the middle of the night, and anyone who dared appear on the streets waving the old Japanese flag in protest was shot. For 18 months, we ruled through fear, stamping out even so much as implies resistance to the new regime with extreme force whenever it appeared. I was there for all of it. I burned down homes, opened fire on peaceful protests, and personally interrogated several suspected agitators; and all that time I was proud to serve. Now, Japan is a dead state, little more than a Tiger military outpost, with a local population living in fear and poverty, unrepresented by their own government, and so cut off from outside their own borders most don't even realise how bad they have it, because of me."

He forced himself to look at her then, so she could see him, and judge him, for what he was.

"There are times, when I sincerely wish that those who say I broke at Bahrain were right. That would be so much easier, but no; that war didn't break me. What it did, was finally open my eyes to how broken I had already become. I remember the moment clearly. I was taking cover in a shell hole, with death and battle all around. The hole was so deep it had breached a sewer pipe underneath. For a second I looked down, catching the reflection of my face in a puddle of shit, and I saw myself for the first time."

 

[ProtoChimp]

Clementina came upon Lee's office. She could see it from a distance and sighed sharply, he would not enjoy this report. Surely there were more pressing matters that required the Colonel's attention and this wasn't as high on the priority list, but nonetheless a failure is still a failure. She walked up to the door and was stopped by the guards on duty.

They exchanged salutes and Clementina began "I need to bring my report to Colonel Lee right away."

"Sorry Lietuenant but the Colonel is not in his office at the moment."

Clementina nodded, "Very well, do you know when I can hand in my report?"

"I will inform the Colonel and he will call for you when needed Lieutenant."

"Thank you sir." They saluted once more and Clementina made her way towards the barracks to wind down. She resisted some temptation to go to The Gates of Pandemonium but surely drinking would reflect even worse on her performance. She enetered the barrakcs and sat down on her bed, punching the pillow in frustration. 'First duty and I fucked up. I can't believe I let my temper get the better of me. Three goddamn months and...' Clementina sighed and leaned against the back wall. 'Maybe I should get some help with my temper so I don't fuck up anymore.'

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Travis had had enough of working. His shift was just about finishing when he clocked out. He couldn't do this every day. He had been behaving well like this for just under three months now, but what kept him going was the promise that one of these days he was gonna get some action. Maybe he would shove someone into the furnace, or bend a ***** over the refinery and burn her face while he rapes her. But now that promise was gone, what drove him to live and work from one day to the next had died. No fun anymore he was just like every other fucking prisoner. He would be protected but if no one had tried anything after three months then maybe there was no danger anymore. Making his way back up to his cell he knew that soon he would need to find The Reaper. He acted like a badass but- wait...

Travis stopped in his tracks as his mind drifted back to the riots and the attack on The Wolves. 'I had a lot of guns back in my cell. I took most of the ammo out but there might be some left. Fuck I can't remember!' Travis punched a nearby wall in frustration and anger. 'I could kill that fuck in the mask before he can even touch me, there was a... fuck what was there... um... assault rifles and machine guns? I think machine guns. I gotta find my old cell, I gotta find it. They've probably all been taken by whoever lives there now, or some gang fuckers, or the Warden's, but its worth a shot. Its definitely worth a shot.'

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Felix wandered around the mid levels of The Pit for a few hours, gaining his bearings and trying to understand the layout. This would take much longer than a day. This place was huge! Massive! Gargantuan even! It was like a city, with some places even looking like they were built to house legitimate businesses. The Warden's acted a lot like a police force, rather than prison guards. Was this Pit more of an underground city than a prison? It seemed very much like a civilisation under the earth, and some prisoners acted like they had freedom. Freedom away from freedom, was perhaps the only difference the lack of fresh air and sunlight? No, this was a prison. Rules were enforced harshly and there was a constant thread of dread and depression that couldn't be escaped from. Speaking of escape that in itself seemed certainly impossible. With Felix's small self guided tour through the mid levels and the way he remembered the higher levels being so extremely heavily guarded, he figured you would need an army to break someone out of the Pit.

Felix deemed he had seemed enough and headed back towards his cell... if he could remember the direction. He headed up past the various buildings and workplaces, following the numbers on the cells, although there was a lot of graffiti and vandalism on them, he also had to avoid the suspicious looks of those in the cells as he looked at their cell numbers trying to find his own. Many times he heard people repeat "The fuck you staring at?" to which he quickly and politely tried to get away from them, avoiding all fighting were possible (as well as being shanked). After two hours of being lost he finally found his cell, deciding to lay his head to rest. Tomorrow he would tour this place some more. He needed to know this prison like the back of his hand if he were to survive here.

 

[Fappy]

She had done exactly what Lucia had expected. Despite knowing what Lucia was getting at she elegantly tiptoed around the issue. Lucia would have to alter her strategy. Be more direct, "And we're supposed to assume that you don't intend to use us to further your own goals? Most people would have amputated Nikolai's leg and sent him on his way, but no." Her eyes narrowed. "You wanted him strong. Stronger than ever, perhaps. You're..."

She stopped herself before the word "grooming" left her lips. She was getting ahead of herself. She paused for a moment before tackling another point, "I have no doubt you've considered our knowledge of the Pit, so I'll ask you this straight... do you intend to use us in your battle against Venture Horizon? Yes or no?"

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Picking teeth out of your knuckles after an interrogation is usually a sign that you've gone too far. Neil knew he'd crossed a line he'd been teetering on, but he was working against the clock. Ironically, it seemed the "Reaper" of the Pit had his own Sword of Damocles to worry about. Fear and anxiety drove him more than duty ever had.

Holding the limp man by the collar, he looked over the mess he'd made. A hour-long beatdown and no new intel. Neil was just about to leave the cell when he heard a loud thud on the other side of the wall. Instinctively, he drew his pistol and threw himself against the wall. The three unconscious men laid out on the floor were rather loud. It was likely one of their friends had heard their cries.

He crept up along the wall and peered around the corner to see none other than Travis, his fist planted firmly in the wall. He looked angry, however, he appeared to have just been passing through. Neil was prepared to wait him out, but considered the slim chance that he could have had information. The Reaper rounded the corner, pointing his pistol at Travis' head, "Hands where I can see them!"

 

[ProtoChimp]

"Hands where I can see them!" Travis turned to see the Reaper pointing a gun at his head.

"Oh fuck you, what are the fucking chances." Travis put his hands up. "There you happy? Cos I'm fucking not. I have some questions, you said I can defend other people but what about myself?" Travis asked as he beat his chest, "What the fuck am I gonna do if someone runs up and tries to kill me, a lot of people want me dead you know. Second you came from fucking nowhere but you said you had my life in your hands or some shit. Did you used to be a Wolf? Or an Aryan? Cos you sure as shit don't look Zulu or Crip. I mean why do you care so much, this place is literally fucking hell, who in the right mind does vigilante in hell?! That's retarded! And last thing..." Travis turned his head and heard the groans coming from the cell he had just left, "What the fuck are you doing here? Shit kicking dudes?"

 

[The Funslinger]

"I have no doubt you've considered our knowledge of the Pit, so I'll ask you this straight... do you intend to use us in your battle against Venture Horizon? Yes or no?"

Acolyte sat forward to listen at this point, swallowing a mouthful of bacon. It was a good question, and one that had crossed his mind numerous times since they'd gotten here.

He listened, and kept silent, but then said, "you're responsible for those villagers slaughtered by chemical weapons, aren't you?"

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"you're responsible for those villagers slaughtered by chemical weapons, aren't you?"

"Am I?" The Talon replied playfully. "Responsibility is a scale. Did I kill those villagers? No, I did not, you have my most solemn vow of that. However, I could have saved them, and I chose not to. Why? Well, I needed to know if the pathogen was finally ready. It's the entire reason we came to these mountains, and in death those poor villagers have confirmed that it is time for our operation here to enter its final phase, a gift that was more than worth its cost."

She turned to the child again now, who was being as stubborn and petulant as ever. She seemed to have some kind of notion that she was the spokesperson for a band of savages, as if only she could understand and convey what they all wanted. It was amusing.

"Have I ever denied that I sought your assistance?" she asked. "I made it clear when first we spoke. My taking you in was no act of charity, and the debt will be repaid. Your knowledge is of little use to me. I already have all of the intelligence I require. What I would ask of you is rather more conventional."

When she continued, wshe spoke less directly to the child, and more to the group as a whole. "The operation we are about to undertake is fraught with danger, and we are stretched thin. I require your numbers, your strength, your prowess at killing. You need not swear any oaths of loyalty or join the Songbirds outright, not unless taking revenge against those who took your lives away from you is a concept that appeals to you. Nonetheless, that is my price."

 

[Fappy]

"Nonetheless, that is my price."

Lucia's furrowed brow sank along with the rest of her face. There was no way. Absolutely no way. She glanced around the table to gauge the consensus among the Freemen. They all stared at her without so much as a whisper. She couldn't begin to imagine what they all thought of her proposal, but if it was anything short of "hell no" then theirs was obviously a group of masochistic psychopaths.

She couldn't hold it back any longer. She stood up, her hands planted firmly on the table, "Are you out of your mind?! After everything we've been through to escape that place, you honestly think we'd want to return?! You're insane!"

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"...What the fuck are you doing here? Shit kicking dudes?"

The Reaper sighed and lowered his pistol. He'd already forgotten how tiring this man was, "You're really bad at asking questions. Usually you're supposed to give someone time to, you know, actually give answers." After holstering his pistol he pulled up his mask to reveal his mouth and a dark goatee while lighting a cigarette.

After taking a long drag he exhaled back into the cell and continued, "As for why I'm here... I found a dead girl, a warden down in the lower levels. She'd been raped and beaten, possibly by multiple assailants. I'm here to interview some of the usual suspects, but I'm short on leads."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, "Tell you what, Travis... you take a cigarette and have a little chat with me. You tell me what you know, I answer some of your questions and we part ways." Pointing with his smoking hand he added, "You don't want to end your morning like these guys, do ya?"

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Return?" The Talon laughed. "Who said anything about return. RACDI-Alpha is several hundred miles away from here. If the pathogen was being stored there, why would I be here?"

She snapped her fingers and one of the Songbirds brought forward copies of the same images she had been looking at earlier, blueprints, diagrams and aerial photographs, and began to pass them wound to people sitting in their places.

"What you're looking at is the final field testing phase of Venture Horizon's Project Phantom. The purpose of the project being to develop a unique chemical weapon with a singular and ingenuous purpose. You see, as large and well equipped as Venture Horizon's standing army may be, they can't exactly afford to go to war over every single asset they wish to acquire from a competitor. It's much more convenient for them if an accident should happen. An accident that makes their competitor very keen indeed to rid themselves of said assets as soon as possible. Whatever you may feel about the ethics of Phantom, the Chemistry behind it is nothing short of genius. The pathogen doesn't even become toxic until it has been absorbed into the bloodstream via the lungs, whereupon it reacts with elements of the chemical makeup of your blood, forming a substance that blocks oxygen being absorbed by the brain, suffocating the victim. Both the substance in the blood, and any trace of the pathogen remaining in the air, break down mere minutes after death, leaving no solid trace of foul play.

Phantom is a corporate weapon, not a military one. It's purpose it not for use against opposing armies or insurgencies, but rather civilians. People not much different from yourselves who are at this moment toiling away down mines or on rigs owned by corporations competing with Venture Horizon. One vial of Phantom is enough to turn even the largest of these facilities into a graveyard in a matter of seconds. No survivors, no witnesses, and the perfect storm of industrial accidents. After it's used, and the reputations of these facilities become tainted in the eyes of their owners. Venture Horizon will be able to buy them up for a bargain price, and exploit their wealth to their hearts content.

Obviously, Phantom is worthless without secrecy, so Venture have chosen to do their live-fire testing in these mountains, on remote villages far away from the eyes of anyone who might care. Not all that far from where we are sitting now, there is a top secret Venture Horizon outpost, and inside there is a considerable stockpile of the now complete Phantom formula. I intend to acquire it, and then use it to give Venture Horizon a taste of its own medicine. Given what these people have put you though all those years you were locked up at their pleasure, I imagine there are at least some of you here who would not pass up the opportunity for a generous helping of revenge. What say you?"

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Nikolai scarcely glanced at the diagrams. They were of no use to him if he could not read them. He understood the words this Talon spoke though. He understood them well, and they were enough even in his ravenous hunger, to make him stop wolfing down everything within his reach. Behind his eyes, the fires danced more vividly than ever before. This time though, they did not scare him, they enraged him.

"I will fight." he spoke up, his tone noticeably dark even when counting in his usual deep, growling tones. He shot a look at Kusanagi. He would not have her speaking for him, he would not stand for it. He was done being told what to do. Killing may be all he was good for, and if that was truly so, they who he killed and why would be his choices. Venture Horizon, and those who bowed to them, had taking everything from him; his home, his family if he ever had one, and any chance he ever had of a peaceful, normal life.

He was going to make them pay for what they had done.

The rest of the Free Men were spurred on by his declaration. Many were actively cheering their agreement. Nikolai looked to Acolyte, his newest brother. What would he have to say?

 

[Fappy]

"I will fight."

Nikolai set his gaze upon her. Judging her as he had before, though she did not notice the meaning behind his stare. His words were enough to make her heart sink. She just returned the gaze with a sad, defeated expression. Couldn't he realize that, despite hating the "world of men" so much, he was still falling prey to it? What drove him to this decision? Revenge? Talon's charisma? Some misguided notion that this was his choice?

Yeah, sure it was.

Talon intended to use the Freemen as pawns in her war. She would discard them if it benefited her, of that Lucia had no doubt. But what could she do? She couldn't make this decision for them.

She stared down at her food once more, searching for a hunger that no longer exist. Lucia was tired. Tired of all the death and sacrifice. Why couldn't they just let it go? Why couldn't they just turn their heads like she had forced herself to all this time?

She too looked to Acolyte. Surely he would side with her... wouldn't he?

 

[The Funslinger]

Acolyte was silent for what seemed like an age.

"I'll join on one condition. And I'd like you to answer a question; tell me what you intend to do about the prisoners who're surely going to be caught up by the chemical weapon along with the Wardens. There're scum in there, sure, but still an awful lot of political prisoners, falsely imprisoned people, and people who knew too much. If you plan to sacrifice them for some kind of "greater good", then be upfront about it."

He glanced at Lucia, and then took a breath. "As for my condition, if you want my help then I want you to get her away from here. Out of the country, somewhere safe, like Holland. You're a global network, right? This is within your means. For that price, I will do anything."

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

'I think we can take that as a vote of confidence.' The Talon thought to herself, as the roars of approval rose, one by one.

She turned back to Acolyte.

"Why is it that you keep assuming that my ultimate goal lies at RACDI-Alpha?" she asked, amused. "You do my ambition a disservice. Regardless, what would I really gain from such an action. Would it hurt Venture? Yes, but it would come nowhere close to destroying them; and even if it did, they are a symptom, nothing more, of a civilisation gone so far bent, that no peaceful remedy remains. Our true enemy is not Venture Horizon, or all its kin, or the weak and corrupt nations that support them. Our enemy is the system itself, that allows these entities to bleed the helpless while the world dies around them, and will always allow more to rise no matter how many we try to bring down one by one. While the system survives, there is no hope for the future; and I will not sit idly by, or turn and bury my head in the sand while life on Earth whores away all its worth to no avail. I will eliminate all the entities responsible, with any arms at my disposal. Will their be collateral damage? Certainly, but The Great Revolution gains nothing by wasting the Phantom pathogen on the denizens of RACDI-Alpha, or any of its sisters.

As for your deal, I sincerely hope that will not be necessary. This one operation is all I ask of you. Deliver Phantom to me, and your debt is repaid. It will not take long, and afterwards you may all go on whatever path you deem fit, no longer beholden to the Songbirds. You need not march to war with us after unless that is your wish. She will choose who she goes with and where, the same as you. Should you not return from this task, and should she accept our help, we can take her as far away as is possible. However, know this... You are a fool if you think she will be safe. Nowhere, and no-one, is ever safe. That is why we fight, because until there comes a day when the system that breeds evil is wiped from this world, none of us will ever be beyond its reach. I have traveled long and far in my search for answers. Do you not think, had I found a place in this world where I felt safe, where the injustice, greed and cruelty that now turn the cogs of the great human machine could not touch me, that I would have stayed there?"

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Lee's office was bland, there was really no other word for it. It was a room made to fit a position, not a man; and, if The Colonel had ever at any point attempted to leave his own personal mark on the place, it hadn't taken well. Although, Selina supposed it may not have made much difference. Lee himself was a man molded by his duty, however much he may resent it. His title, rank, and responsibilities all fit him as if he was tailored to them. For all she knew, Selina could be looking at what passed for a statement of identity for Lee, and she was just unable to tell the difference.

The Sergeant stood silent in the corner, keeping his back covered and giving himself a full view of the room. A true soldier, this one, and careful. He would not give up his superior vantage point, which was exactly what Selina was counting on.

'Best to move quickly, and with purpose. Wasting time only arouses suspicion.'

She spied the files that she had, purposefully, left on Lee's desk. It had been a risk. If Lee had just handed them back to her, the whole plan would have been a bust. However, the paranoia that the plan had hung on paid off, and Lee had neglected to mention it, likely so he could have a thorough read of Selina's highly classified information. An acceptable price to pay.

"There they are!" she announced in triumph, striding towards them quickly. As she got to the desk, her heel landed crookedly, and she stumbled, spilling the contents of the file over the flaw, behind Lees desk and out of the Sergeant's line of sight.

"Are you alright Ma'am." he asked, concerned. However, he refused to move from his vantage point, out of fear that he might lose sight of the door, allowing access to someone else.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just... oh damn it!" Selina cursed, scrambling on her hands and knees to collect all the lose pages. "I don't know what's got into me today?!"

The tower for Lee's desktop computer was stored underneath the desk, in its own wooden compartment. When Selina crawled behind it, she slipped a portable hard-drive into the USB slot, and the program inside auto-executed.

"Are we done here, Ma'am." the Sergeant asked when she emerged back on her feet, just a minute later.

"Yes, we are. Thank you ever so much for being so understanding." Selina beamed.

 

[The Funslinger]

Acolyte sighed. "As long as you do that, then I'll help. And I know nowhere is truly safe, but at this point, everything is relative."

He didn't look at Lucia as he said this. He doubted she'd be particularly happy with him.

 

[Fappy]

Lucia grabbed Acolyte's arm and shook her head, "No, I can't let you do that. I won't let anyone else die for me. I'll go, if only to fulfill multiple debts I owe and put all this behind me." She turned her attention back to Talon and spoke plainly. "Once this is done, you'll let us walk... no strings attached. Can I trust you to keep your word?"

 

[Evrant-Knight]

Abigail stood to listen to Lee's tale, and if she was being honest, it sickened her; even the part of her that was Lilith, who didn't mind the odd bit of death now and then found it abhorrent. How one man could stand proud whilst he cut down countless people, civilian or otherwise. Her eyes turned cold as Lee looked at her, and a part of her almost felt pity for the man; to Lee, he was simply doing his job, and no doubt would have suffered by his government's hand should he have failed to bring results.

"...I was taking cover in a shell hole, with death and battle all around. The hole was so deep it had breached a sewer pipe underneath. For a second I looked down, catching the reflection of my face in a puddle of shit, and I saw myself for the first time." Abigail had not uttered a word since Lee had begun his story; whilst partially out of respect for his higher rank, but she also wanted to hear the details in their purest form.

"And so, in the face of your own mortality, did you realise how far you had fallen, how deep into the gaping maw that is hell you descended, how much of a monster you became. To think, the man who did all that is now in charge of a prison complex, where people have done things less severe. In another life, or rather another world, chances are we might not be having this conversation."

 

[ProtoChimp]

The Reaper acted like he was better than Travis as he pulled on his cigarette, making his nostrils flare in response. Smug asshole. "As for why I'm here... I found a dead girl, a warden down in the lower levels. She'd been raped and beaten, possibly by multiple assailants. Sounds like fun, thought Travis. "I'm here to interview some of the usual suspects, but I'm short on leads." Travis panicked for a moment, he would be a prime suspect for such an act. Luckily for him The Reaper then reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, "Tell you what, Travis... you take a cigarette and have a little chat with me. You tell me what you know, I answer some of your questions and we part ways." Pointing with his smoking hand he added, "You don't want to end your morning like these guys, do ya?"

Travis clicked his tongue and walked towards The Reaper, slowly and tentatively taking the cigarette he was offered. "I'll smoke it but I dunno anything about any dead *****."

 

[Fappy]

"I'll smoke it but I dunno anything about any dead *****."

The Reaper glared at him from behind his mask. This man truly had no respect for anyone, "You're telling me you haven't heard anything about this at all? Please, this the worst thing that's happened to a warden since the riots. I am sure you heard someone mention it."

He thumbed the butt of his cigarette in thought and decided to change up his tactics, "Who've you been associating with lately? Last time I checked you were a bit of a loner, but I am sure there's someone down here you've spoken to a few times in the last week or so."

 

[ProtoChimp]

Travis held his unlit cigarette in his hand. "Seriously the only people I can even think of talking to me in the past week is that Conners fucker, the ugly ***** you jumped me with and you... but..." Travis chuckled a little, "maybe we can help each other. No one trusts you around here, shit just look at that cell next to you to see that. Them you looking for'd probably be "less inclined" to think I was up to anything shady if I went poking round if you catch my drift. You gonna light this or what?"