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

[Evrant-Knight]

"I'll remember your name, Miss Nyte."

'What did she mean by that?' Abigail asked herself as she was busy tending to some Wardens that had come in a few minutes after Selina had left. Was Selina going to be keeping an eye on her? Was she going to put in a good word with Warden-In-Chief Lee? The remark had left her confused, but also filled her with a small amount of concern. I mean, here we have a high ranking Executive taking an interest in a barmaid of all things. Something had to be up, or perhaps Selina was simply being nice.

Although, it wasn't the first time that this had happened...

Spoiler: The Day That Abigail Was Hired...

* Flashback - July 17th 2345 - The Guild and Crown Tavern - 13:10 PM *

It was a reasonably sunny day, few clouds in the sky, and a light breeze from the direction of Lake Ontario coursed it's way through the city. Lots of people were outside the bar enjoying both the beautiful weather and the drinks they purchased within. All in all, it was a perfect day, that was when a gentleman in a light grey suit came up to the bar, with a troubled looking face.

"Awww bloody hell, the boss is going to have my guts for garters if I don't find any potential recruits." The man said in a quiet abated breath as he looked down at the counter, not wanting to make eye contact. Without asking, a glass of water was put next to him, and the gentleman looked up to see a young lady with violet hair in a single short ponytail, with dark green eyes in casual attire.

"Thanks." The gentleman said quietly as he downed the water in a single take.

"So, what is the problem with you then stranger? Don't think I've seen you around here before." Abigail asked, curious to hear the man's troubles.

"Urgh... it's nothing really, actually my life could depend on it. You see my superiors have sent me out here of a talent scouting mission; and well let's just say the success rate hasn't been so good thus far."

"And pray, who is it that you work for exactly?"

"Venture Horizon." This made the whole room go quiet for a moment, before the other patrons went back to their conversations.

"I see. Well what kind of people are you looking for?"

"Anyone really. People who have specialist skills, expert knowledge, or are capable of handling a firearm mostly."

"Huh, well I don't think you'll find many of those sorts of people in a place like this. In any case, what can I get for you stranger?" Abigail asked, suddenly changing the subject as she took out a small notepad she was given to take down a customer's drink order. The man looked through a conveniently place menu, and started to leaf through the numerous drinks that were on offer. A small smile escaped his lips has he found his choice and set the menu down.

"I'll have a Bushwacker. Looks to be strong enough to help forget my troubles, at least for a little while."

"Alrighty then stranger, one Bushwacker coming up." Abigail said with a profound smile as she set about making the drink. A few minutes later, a towering cream coloured cocktail was presented to the gentleman, with the addition of whipped cream, a straw and a Maraschino cherry.

"Here you go, enjoy."

"Thanks." The man said with more cheer in his voice as he sized up the cocktail. He then took one long sip.

"Man, that was pretty damn good miss, haven't had a decent cocktail like that in a while. Say, you wouldn't be interested in working for Venture Horizon?"

"I don't know, I mean I've heard some strange stories about the sorts of things that go in down in those prisons from some ex-employees."

"That is understandable Miss; it's just our RACDI-Alpha facility in Siberia has been looking for someone to manage and run the employee bar. I think someone like you could work wonders there, I mean this cocktail shows your capable."

"Thanks, but I still don't know, I'd have to talk it over with my parents first."

"Fair enough, listen, I'm in town for the next couple of weeks whilst I look for new talent, here is my business card; should you come to a decision, contact me if your interested, and I'll arrange for a pick up." The man said as he pulled out a handful of paper money, along with a business card from his front jacket pocket. Abigail examined it for a moment, and sure enough he did come from Venture.

"Thank you, I'll consider thinking about it."

Flashback Ends

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"The more people who know, the more fragile your cover will be. Regardless, we begin tomorrow."

"Thank you, sir. I'll do my best." Lewis said. With that he left the Tiger's den and proceeded back to the barracks. He exchanged words with Oliva, Marino, Walker, and Albergo but it was just awkward goodbyes by the end of it. Tomorrow everything would change and for the most part, Lewis would probably not see them ever again except for up on the catwalks. He didn't tell them Lee's plan as instructed. He didn't tell them of his sister. He didn't even tell what would happen to him because they all already assumed the worst. Lewis was taking the worst of it and that's all they needed to know. Lewis fell asleep on his bed with a picture of his sister in his hand. Tomorrow, he would see her again and now he would be the one looking after her.


------------------------------------------------

Richard and the Doctor followed the woman down the industrial level but even without the excess steam from the refinery, Richard could feel the heat of scorn that the woman had for the executives. It wasn't all that surprising since Wardens don't like being under such scrutiny unless Lee personally commanded it and Lee was the only man that could considering his particular background. Still, Richard only gave the hate-filled woman smiles all around.

"Oh I don't specialize in profits as my friend Dr. Olivander here but I do specialize in communication. And my question is how you communicate such fear and authority here in these levels?" Richard asked.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Clementina turned to the man, keeping her pace and a sense of pride filled her. "We communicate such fear and authority by doing our jobs, as any figure of authority should."

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Nikolai grunted. He wanted to argue. However, he was losing his voice thanks to the hoarseness in his throat, and his ears were ringing from all the blows to the head that he had taken. He begrudgingly followed Riley out of the hangar.

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

Before making the call, Selina performed a thorough sweep of her quarters, checking for bugs. She found one concealed behind the mirror, mounted on the wall just above the wash basin. Too easy, too obvious. It had to be a dummy, put there for her to find so that she would stop searching before she found the primary device. Her instincts were correct. When she had left her room this morning, she had zipped up her travel bag, placing three of her hairs into the teeth of the zip. That same travel bag was in the same place she'd left it in, with everything still inside exactly the way she had arranged it. Immaculate. However, the three hairs were gone. Selina discovered the bug stuck to the inside of the seam that separated the main compartment from the side pockets, almost impossible to have been found by accident. Inside the bag she placed a Dictaphone, which she had used to record her regular movements the night before, before pressing play and zipping up the bag. Now, anything she said would be masked by the repeating track on the Dictaphone. It was an elegant solution. Removing or breaking the bug would only have given the Colonel cause to try again, even more determined for his efforts to go undiscovered. It was better yo have him believe Selina had been fooled, and that he had the upper hand in this game of cat and mouse. One more sweep of the room convinced her that she had found all there was to find. Honestly, Lee should have more respect for her intelligence.

She walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, before making the call. The tone at the other end of the line didn't even ring twice before it was picked up. The Director was an impatient man.

"Ms Hernandez. Good of you to finally report in."

"You're too kind, Director." Selina flirted "Our esteemed host has been doing his utmost to keep us all very busy. There's a lot to see, after all. However, I have some time."

"And..."

"Yes?"

"Has the Colonel become a threat? Do you think he is attempting to seize control of RACDI-Alpha and its assets for himself? Do we need to remove him sooner than we had planned?"

The tempo of the Director's voice was fast, his questions almost feverish in anticipation. As genuine as his fears about Lee might be, Selina knew that the drubbing that the Director had suffered at Lee's hands three months back had stung him. As far as the board was concerned, if he couldn't make this transition of power as smooth as possible, it was his neck on the line as well. The Director needed this, and he was itching to see Lee brought down. Selina would have to handle this carefully.

"Well Director, he's certainly got the capability. While significant progress has been made improving security and productivity inside The Pit, it's what's on the outside that most interests me. Lee's attention has definitely been focused out beyond the perimeter. RACDI-Alpha's defenses are remarkable, and if I had to guess, I'd say the loyalties of almost every Warden here are to Colonel Lee first, Venture Horizon second. If he decided to fight his termination, he could potentially cause us a lot of problems."

"So, that's the game he want's to play." The Director replied, audibly licking his lips over the phone. "It's all for naught, if necessary we can have him removed before he even decides to put up a fight."

"Not so fast Director. I said he had the capability, but whether or not he has the will is a part that still doesn't fit. He knows our presence here weakens him. If he wanted to fight, why wait until now? Why not send us packing the moment we touched down? This is not a man who lusts after comfort or riches. What would he possibly gain from taking over RACDI-Alpha in its entirety? The minerals that lie underground hold no value to him. In fact, he seemed resigned to the idea of his tenure here ending when we spoke, so long as after he's gone things will continue moving in the same direction."

"You told him?!"

"He already knew, Director. You know the man, and you know we're not dealing with an idiot here. I wasn't going to make any progress with Lee while he knew I was keeping this from him. Now though, I've laid the foundations to gaining his trust, revealed information that would have otherwise stayed hidden, and for the cost of revealing nothing that he wasn't already able to deduce in the first place."

"Fine." the Director responded, his tone icy. "What is this information that you've uncovered?"

"When he and I spoke, he talked about tasks that he could entrust to no-one else. It was the only matter on which he seemed unwilling to talk. He's presenting the same image of the immovable commander that he always has, but the facade is beginning to fracture. He's scared, Director, scared of some kind of external threat that goes beyond the feud between himself and Venture Horizon. I don't know what he's discovered, or why he's chosen to keep it to himself, but I think this should warrant our full attention. Paranoid the Colonel may be, but he has a soldier's instincts; and if he believes that there's a threat on the horizon that endangers us all, I believe him."

There was a pause over the line.

"Find out what you can, using any means at your disposal. However, the instant you find any conclusive proof that Colonel Lee has betrayed the trust of this organisation, I want to be informed."

The Director hung up, and once again Selina was on her own.

 

[The Funslinger]

Riley led the two man across the courtyard, past his fire and the pit filled with ash water, to a squat building to one side. Pushing open the door, he walked through, revealing a middle aged man in a songbird's uniform with a medic's patch on his shoulder.

"Medical officer Milgram. Two of our guests need patching up." As Acolyte and Nikolai walked in, Riley leaned against the wall as Milgram got to his feet.

"My, my, what happened to you two? Well, no matter!"

He started by looking at the bruises on their faces, having to stretch on his tip toes to get at Nikolai. "Both your noses are broken, but that's simple enough." Setting his hands on Nikolai's face, he braced his thumbs on the sides of the nose and reset it with a loud crack. Then he moved and did the same thing to Acolyte. Back with Nikolai, he probed his throat with his fingers.

"Significant bruising on your thyroid gland. Be glad it's not much worse. As is, it'll swell up before it gets better. I have some pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication I think would be helpful. But you seem the sort to ignore medical advice; no offense."

He efficiently sized up the remainder of their injuries, commenting idly to himself. Riley could see Nikolai was getting impatient, so he spoke up. "If there's nothing blaring, Millie, then I think they're done here."

Milgram scowled at the nickname. "Yes, yes, I--" he stopped, looking at Acolyte with a shocked expression on his face. "My god, man, you're bleeding out of your ear!"

"Hmm?" Acolyte put a hand to the side of his head and his blinked in surprise when his fingers came away bloody. Sitting him down, Milgram cleaned the blood away, and began probing his skull. After that, he shone a medical light in Acolyte's ear.

"I don't think it's due to injury," he said. He didn't sound glad.

"That's... good, right?" Acolyte responded, suspiciously.

"Maybe, maybe... physical trauma may have excited it, but I'm almost certain it didn't cause this. Sir, do you have any preexisting medical conditions?"

"I... I have blackouts. Every few days... normally."

"But they've stopped happening, or have reduced as of late?"

Acolyte's eyes narrowed. "How did you know?"

"I'll explain in a moment. Are the blackouts genetic, or is there another cause?"

Acolyte glanced at Nikolai, who seemed to be watching with at least mild interest. Glaring at his lap, Acolyte spoke. "Before the prison... I... erm, it started after a heroin overdose."

"I see. How long have you been clean?"

"Eight years, coming up on nine," Acolyte replied with certainty.

Milgram stroked his moustache thoughtfully. "I can't give absolute certainty without further testing, but the only thing I can think of is that your blackouts, and now this haemorrhage are caused by a form of... brain tumor."

"How long do I have?"

"I have no idea. You're not going to die just yet, but this isn't a book or one of those films from the old civilization and I don't magically know how quickly it'll progress. I'm sorry. If not for the drip of blood, I'd have pronounced you perfectly healthy. I should think you have a while, at least. That you went eight years with no major health detriment is... unusual, to say the least."

 

[ProtoChimp]

"Moving on," Clementina stated as she moved the tour group through the cell blocks, prisoners fleeing and hiding at every turn. What made Clementina rather proud was one thing in particular. "One thing I want to say off the record, sometimes you see people slacking off, in any job, and when their employer comes along they rush back to their duties with a pathetic excuse. I haven't noticed a single prisoner do this, have any of you? The only sight any of you will see are those who have finished their shifts or those who are on their way to their shifts, to which upon seeing this armed escort will simply travel quicker." Clementina his a small one second smile. From just three months here RACDI Alpha seemed like the perfect place for her. A perfect fit. She kept this in mind as she escorted the worthless men and women of the executive world to the one place where they would be reminded of their homes, hell. They were all sadist bastards at heart, and the industrial part is the hottest place in the whole Pit.

The heat could be felt from ages away and yet when they had finally made their way into the industrial plant the fiery temperature still managed to hit them like the centre of a burning star. Many execs were pulling at their collars and wiping sweat from their brows. One even had the gall to remove his jacket and carry it as well as taking off his tie. Not even wearing proper uniform? Fucking amateur. Fucking amateurs. They could use some basic training like her and other Warden's. They wouldn't last three days.

The view was one of utter submission. More prisoners than the eye could see, all busy carrying equipment, operating the heavy machinery under guard watch, refining the ores, minerals and materials, everywhere the eye could see there was a different job and a different duty being performed by the prisoners. This was true production at work, nothing could be done to make this place more productive.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Nikolai sat their, frowning and silent, as the doctor outlined his diagnosis. He had just gained a brother in blood, but for how long? It rankled. Not right, not fair, none of it! The Free Men needed to be away from this place, and soon. They had had their wounds tended, and been fed and sheltered, but this place was no home to them. They would never have a home, or any measure of peace. All they had was the next day, and the next, and the one after that, clinging on to the edge of an abyss while their handholds were chipped away, one by one.

Nikolai had never believed that there was anything higher or more important than life itself. People who fought in the name of glory, honour, faith, or brotherhood were chattel, their beliefs manipulated as they were thrown to the slaughter to die in the name of cleverer Men. Nikolai had seen this, every day, for over half his life. He had survived, he thought, because he had fought in the name of survival itself. His stubborn refusal to have anything in his life that he was willing to die for, had been what had kept him going where others had given up, embracing death as if it was their reward, rather than the price they paid for failure. Underground, in the darkness, this philosophy had been enough. When his view had been constrained by those walls of ice and stone, it had been easy to simply focus on the next task ahead, with no thought to what lay beyond. Not for the first time, Nikolai wondered if listening to the Colonel Man had been a mistake. Perhaps he should have stayed in the darkness. A Dog can be content with so little, but a Man has questions, a Man has beliefs. Nikolai's beliefs were hollow, and his questions went unanswered. It was no longer sufficient to believe in survival for survival's sake, now that he was marching down this path without a destination. If peace and solace were lost to them, and death was the only journey's end, then what did it matter if that end came after one more day, or week, or month? What made those extra scant hours of consciousness worth fighting so hard for?

He wished he was wrong, that their was something he was yet to see, or that he had been seeing and simply never comprehended before. Perhaps before the end their would be some place along the road, where Nikolai could stop, look back, and know that he had chosen well. How could he though, when with every gain came a loss far greater? How could he believe that there was value in those dreams, when the world of the waking offered nothing of the sort?

"What will you tell her?" were his only words to Acolyte, after they had left the room to return to the rest.

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

He had faded at last. It was perhaps her longest yet, appropriate considering what lay ahead, necessary even, but her companion had finally yielded, letting go of the delusions of the worth of his beating heart, and had embraced the One Truth in a final, glorious moment. The Talon drank in her victory, all the sweeter for the effort it had cost her. She was sustained, her faith more unshakable than ever. She would need that, and she had best savour it, for this may well have been the last time she would open another soul to the One Truth, before The Great Revolution moved into its final stage, and her with it.

Cleaning up had been a simple task, and the waste of the man's remains now lay rolled up neatly within the layers of plastic sheeting, no trace of him left anywhere else in the room, and her own person was now clean as well. Now, she would dine with their new guests, for The Talon had now decided how they would repay her kindness. Their help was required in this next test. She would speak with them, and begin to unravel the secrets of the One Truth to them. it was still too early for the full extent to be comprehended, but she would plant the first seeds nonetheless, and no word she spoke would be false. The innocent would no doubt try and deny her at first, erecting her flimsy shield against the undeniable. The reformer would attempt to sway her with his own blinkered reason, and he would fail. The lost boy was the key. He understood so much already, more than he knew. He would see the worth in her words, and the sway he held with the rest would drown out all dissent.

The Talon crossed to the door, leaving behind her solitude, and embracing her destiny once more.

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

Lee sat alone at his desk, his mouth tight and his brow furrowed. He was tired, so damnably tired of watching and waiting, of raising his defenses against the enemy that would soon come out of the shadows, an enemy he still knew so little about. The words were on the page, but they were faint and the letters jumbled. Their finer meaning was not yet clear, and when the whole was revealed, he feared that it would be too late. He thought back to when he had accepted his current position, Warden in Chief of RACDI-Alpha. He had wanted to make a difference yes, to change the world in his own small way. However, small had been the operative term. Lee had thought his role as a soldier in titanic shifts of global power was done, and good riddance to it. Now, from this room at what sometimes seemed like the edge of the world, Lee stood, perhaps alone, against a threat that made all others he had faced shrivel in comparison. He felt so helpless, a speck of dust resting on just one of the pieces on his old chess board, being moved by hands he could not see. What way was there for him to stop this game before it reached its terminus? Perhaps none, but he would do something! He would not stand idly by and let all that had been built come to ruin.

The colonel had barely slept in 4 days. The old moods were truly on him now, and every time he closed his eyes, his mind took him back to the horrors of war, and each time he would be jerked awake by flashes of imagined horrors that were yet to come to pass. Whatever it took of him, whatever meager difference he could make, Lee would stand against them. He had one more appointment today, one more piece in his own game in which to move. He set out for the Gates of Pandemonium.

 

[The Funslinger]

"What will you tell her?"

Acolyte rubbed his neck self-consciously. "Nothing's jumped to mind. I suppose... for now at least, it's not an issue and for the foreseeable future I'm fine. For a while now, I've felt like I ought to pick up where Orphan... left off. And you know how she is, she wants to save everyone and make their pain her own."

He nodded, now sure of himself. "If I tell her now, she won't focus on learning from me what she needs to look after herself and survive. I'll tell her when I'm sure that I could die and not have her follow me into the grave by her own ignorance."

As they approached the hangar, he said very softly, "and I suppose I'll tell her my name. I don't know whether she'll laugh or cry when she hears it, but I'll tell her." Before they pushed open the door, Acolyte thrust out an arm, stopping Nikolai. "Look, if anything happens, and I get worse, and my condition slows the group down, don't let me put anyone in danger. Not even for her sake."

At least there'll be no more blackouts, he thought wryly.

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

Back in his quarters, with Tanner down in the Pit standing guard at the outpost, Luka threw himself down on his bed. It'd been an emotionally trying day, and as he pulled the blanket over himself and turned onto his side, his mind was buzzing. He knew he'd get little sleep tonight.

 

[Fappy]

The walk back to the cathedral was a quite one. Neil had confronted the one man on Earth who wanted him dead more than any other and survived. Though, it was likely that mistake would be rectified by the week's end. He was completely drained, to say the least.

He climbed up the stairs leading up to the bell tower and dropped his gear in the corner of the room. After stripping down to nothing but pants and socks, he lit a cigarette and leaned up against outer wall of the tower; his bare chest exposed to the bitter, dry air of the Pit. He took a deep, long drag and held it in his lungs for awhile.

For every moment he spent in this hell his death grew nearer. The Pit was not unlike the chemicals he had trapped within his lungs. The longer they lingered, the more damage was done. Neil smiled as he exhaled, as if amused by the idea of facilitating his own demise. In truth, he was scared. Terrified. Strangely however, that terror gave him comfort.

The fear of his own demise and the guilt he felt these past few months reminded him that he was still a man. That he still had a soul. No matter how worthless it was, it was still his own. He looked up at the stone ceiling and sighed before taking another drag.

If there was any one thing he'd love to see again before his death it would be the night sky.

All men are allowed a dream.

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

Lucia woke up in an unfamiliar place. A thick fog encompassed the space around her, shrouding the true nature of her surroundings. All she could do was walk. Move forward.

As she continued forward shapes began to form around her. Mirrors pierced through the fog, materializing in random locations in every direction. As if compelled by some ethereal force, Lucia approached the closest mirror and gazed into it. An image of a small girl in a sundress appeared. She was kneeling over a flower, holding her finger against a petal as to allow a caterpillar to cross. There was innocence there.

There was serenity.

The girl was Lucia and she couldn't have been more than eight years old. It was a fond memory of a time long passed. A smile broke out across her face as she was drawn closer to the mirror. The girl's head turned to face Lucia as she placed her hand on the mirror. The girl smiled back. Her smile was radiant and pure.

Then it faded. The girl noticed it before Lucia. A shadow had been cast upon the little girl, but before she could turn to see what had been towering over her she was silenced. She only managed a feint yelp before a bullet entered her skull. Lucia screamed in horror, though no sound escaped her mouth. The little girl's eyes remained open, staring into Lucia's as she dropped to the ground, dead. In shock, Lucia could do nothing but stare at the caterpillar as it crawled off of her finger.

She snapped out of it when it was suddenly squished under the boot of the towering figure. Lucia closed her eyes and covered her ears. She wanted to cry but no tears would form and her screams were silent. The deafening silence unnerved her enough to open her eyes once more. What stood before her inside the mirror was a reflection of herself. Her face was bruised and bloodied, as it had been when she laid down to rest. She had not realized how bad it was until now.

"Oh, don't fret so much. Those bruises are nothing compared to what you did to the others."

Shivers ran up her spine as she felt two cold hands caress her shoulders. It was then that she noticed a doppelganger standing behind her in the reflection. A mischievous smile was painted on her face, "You have turned into quite the little beast, haven't you?"

Paralyzed in fear, Lucia did not answer, "It's okay little lamb, it is only natural." Placing her cold hand gently under Lucia's jaw, the duplicate turned her attention towards another mirror. A vivid image of herself, naked atop Nikolai appeared within. "If you are to lay with the beast you must become one yourself."

Tears refused to form, but Lucia still managed to shake her head in refusal. The other woman smiled, "Oh, so you'd prefer to be with the monk?" Again, she turned Lucia's attention to another mirror. Within it appeared an image of a naked Acolyte planting kisses upon Lucia's inner thigh. "He would certainly have more experience as a true lover than the brute, wouldn't you say?"

Again, Lucia shook her head. This woman was wrong. This woman was evil.

The doppelganger appeared in front of her; her hands resting upon Lucia's shoulders, "Why continue to deny who you are? Why postpone the inevitable? Embrace your true face. Embrace your true nature. Unleash the beast inside you so that it may feed, lest it eat its way out."

Lucia was trembling now. While she hadn't been able to cry, she managed to speak her first words since entering this strange place, "W-wh-who are you?"

The woman before her smiled an insidious smile, "Why, sweet little lamb, I am you of course. I am Kusanagi."

She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as hard as she could as if to banish the woman. When she opened them once more she saw a smoking pistol in her hands and a little girl at her feet. Her brains, oozing from an exit wound in her skull.

Lucia screamed as she woke.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"The only sight any of you will see are those who have finished their shifts or those who are on their way to their shifts, to which upon seeing this armed escort will simply travel quicker."

Richard definitely felt the heat form the massive refineries and saw the workers scurry about like ants. But another source of heat he could feel came from the woman leading them around the place. Her demeanor, her wording, and especially disdain for his fellow executives varied from the reception the others gave them. Hers was more open and loud while still keeping it slightly subtle. He wondered why. Well in a way he knew why the Wardens were certainly livid with the executives here. Having someone place scrutiny on those ones that were doing the scrutinizing would certainly step on some toes.

"I can see why you like this career path." Richard said. Despite all the noise, Richard made sure his voice was still heard. "It feels good to keep order doesn't it? It feels good putting people who deserves all this heat and toil in this place, I understand that."

 

[ProtoChimp]

"I can see why you like this career path. It feels good to keep order doesn't it? It feels good putting people who deserves all this heat and toil in this place, I understand that."

"And why would you understand that? What experience do you have punishing people who deserve it. What was your position again? Communications was it?"

 

[willofbob]

"12.3%, give or take." Said Olivander, trying not to look to uncomfortable, "Lee's done a good job, but I don't understand why you feel proud of it. You had nothing to do with it."

 

[ProtoChimp]

"12.3%, give or take." Said Olivander, trying not to look to uncomfortable, "Lee's done a good job, but I don't understand why you feel proud of it. You had nothing to do with it."

Clementina took her attention away from the Lu and turned to Olivander, who had been quiet up until now. "Yes I did have nothing to do with it but I am proud to work here and proud to be under the employment of someone who is willing to do whatever's necessary for the sake of what is right. Tell me has anyone here ever been to another RACDI Alpha facility? Anyone?" She refocused her attention on the rest of the silent executives, hiding behind their notepads and desperately avoiding contact with Lt. Abreu. The woman was far shorter than the rest of them and yet their whole bodies seemed to shrivel at her presence. "Tell me," she continued, "have you ever seen one as productive as this? Don't hide behind your pen and paper I expect an answer."

 

[willofbob]

"I've never been to another facility, so I can't really answer that..." Said Olivander, lodging his foot even deeper in his mouth.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"But I have..." Richard said, stepping forth to meet the woman. "I have seen Bravo through Sierra of which I have seen nothing like this facility I assure you." Richard didn't need to hide from this woman. If she even laid a hand on him then she would facing worse punishment.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Nikolai nodded, as his only reply. They'd left over 20 dead behind them already so far on this journey. Brother or no, it went without saying that Nikolai would leave Acolyte behind if he could not keep up under his own steam. He was less happy with Acolyte's judgement over Lucia. The logic of it was understandable, but Nikolai knew that when she found out eventually, the deception would rub salt in the wound, and Acolyte would not be the one left behind to face the repercussions on that score.

The hangar doors parted sluggishly before them, and the duo stepped back inside without another word.

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'You have a job to do... You have a job to do... You have a job to do...'

Lee repeated these words to himself inside his head, the rhythm setting a pace to his stride, all the way down from his office to the threshold of RACDI-Alpha's on-site bar. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been to an establishment such as this, as he often remembered little of those sort of nights. Many times over the last 2 years he had been tempted to close down The Gates of Pandemonium, to find some pretext for turning over every table and smashing every bottle, for every day that it stood open, Lee was endangered. However, it had its uses, and the men needed what few entertainments they could enjoy in a place as desolate as this, to prevent them by and large from taking out their frustrations on the Inmates. Besides, back when Lee's command had been in name only, when to say he held the loyalty of only a fraction of the Wardens would have been a far too generous estimate, such a move could have been just as dangerous for him as letting the business continue. So, Lee had resolved to settle for keeping a cold and stony distance from the place at all times, and making sure that any Wardens caught drunk on duty suffered the full extent of his wrath. For so many years now the Colonel had stood resolute against the one shame that he had ever been able to reverse, having not touched a drop since Venture Horizon had first contracted him. However, some temptations do not fade so easily with time, and Lee was aware of how weary he had become. It would be so easy, once greeted by that alter of coloured glass and amber fluids, to lose himself in that old, familiar haze.

But he would not, he must not! Tonight, his senses would remain clear, as would the night after, and the night after that, for however long it took him to see this through. While he still had a single man to command, or a single inch of ground to hold, Lee would remain worthy of his post.

"Good evening." he opened stiffly to Warden Nyte, as he crossed over into the bar.

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Yu had received the message a few hours ago, carried only by whispers, their meaning concealed beneath the disguise of the usual passing mutters. His orders had been to make contact as soon as possible, only circumstances had forced him to delay until this late hour. One of the presentations for The Pit's new visitors in the Mid-Levels had arrived later than scheduled, meaning Yu had to double back, and wait until he was sure he would go unmolested on his way. His mission may have come down from the highest authority, but the Wardens that patrolled here would never know how many of the prisoners they watched over shared their master. Even so, to be interfered with by the Executives was an even worse prospect than being set upon by former gang enforcers, still out for revenge in what small and petty ways they could snatch at it.

His twin, Chen, would be taking care of the boy, meeting up with him the moment he was out of processing tomorrow morning, and escorting him to the meeting point. Before then, however, it fell to Yu to make contact with the girl, formerly a plaything for The Piranha's, and to prep her role in the next faze.

She was sleeping when Yu arrived at her cell. Checking that the coast was clear, Yu deftly picked the heavy lock with the tools he kept concealed within his waistband, before slithering in to her cell without so much as a sound. People in The Pit, the live ones anyway, were on their guard at that best of times, and this one would be even more likely to spring straight into action at most. Defending himself wouldn't be a problem for Yu. However, it was imperative the girl remained unharmed. Even so, he kept a shiv concealed behind his back, for insurance purposes, as he nudged the girl awake.

 

[The Funslinger]

As they passed through the doors, Acolyte heard the scream. Gliding swiftly past the other Free Men, he was quickly at Lucia's side, knelt by her cot. When he spoke, his voice was calm and friendly. "What happened? Are you alright?"

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Riley sat on the floor of his quarters, slumped lazily against his bed with Odin's head in his lap. As he tugged absentmindedly on the wolf's ears, he sighed introspectively. Hearing Milgram's grim prognosis of Acolyte had deflated him. Random suffering like this, that could not be fought against and resulted only from chaotic chance was something he usually found depressing, even though he barely knew the man.

He had pressed the medical officer for details after the two guests had left. Milgram had replied that optimistically, Acolyte could keep on as he had, and have years before the tumor brought him down. Certainly, at the very least, he had likely had months before any severe symptoms set in. But then there was always the small, but not nonexistent chance that the tumor could mutate randomly. It was possible, if improbable, that Acolyte could be crippled or killed over the course of a few days at any time.

Riley sighed again and ruffled Odin's thick fur. He wondered if there were something he could do. He glanced out of his window. Behind a disused hangar next to the one occupied by the Free Men was a rectangle of sheet metal fencing. Inside this fencing was a small, glass greenhouse he'd used a large portion of his early songbird pay to build after his initial transfer here, years ago. Inside were a variety of plants it was difficult to acquire in their natural habitats, or things that didn't ordinarily grow in this climate. He knew there was no cure in there, but he still might be able to help. He also knew Talon had her own private and very secretive selection of medical implements, drugs and other such things used during surgeries and her 'recreational' activities. He thought he might ask about that.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Lu spoke to her with a smug attitude. He was smart enough to know she couldn't hurt him, and her intimidation tactics weren't working. "Bravo through Sierra yes? And how were they nothing like this facility?"

 

[Evrant-Knight]

Throughout the rest day, business had been going at its usual pace, but what surprised her was the lack Walker, or even any of Shogun Squad for that matter. She'd asked around, and discovered that the squad had been broken apart and reassigned to various other teams; after an incident down in The Pit itself involving the injury of an inmate. Abigail didn't even think that the group could act like that, they seemed so nice, almost like family to one another; then again as she heard, working down there did strange things to people.

Abigail had lost track of time when a voice spoke to her.

"Good evening." A man said, looking up Abigail was surprised to see none other than the head Warden himself. Those Wardens that were nearby immediately stood up to attention as Lee passed, though they quickly carried on with their conversations once he passed.

"Evening Sir." Abigail said as she gave the man a quick salute before continuing to clean up some drinking glasses.

"Surprised to see a man like yourself here, I thought you usually sent one of your subordinates down here; to see if I wasn't becoming a problem. It must be important if you yourself have decided to visit. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

" She then asked with a inquisitive look on her face, curious to find out.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"It is important." Lee told her, keeping his eyes unnervingly fixed on Warden Nyte, not allowing them to be drawn to the shelves of spirits behind her. "I require a tonic water, and some privacy."

Lee may have been Warden in Chief, but this was Nyte's establishment. So, as a mark of respect, he left it up to her to clear the room.

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No man who had nothing to hide would by rights spend so much time with nothing but his desk for company. However, it seemed that, finally, Lee had decided to leave his office for the evening, much to Selina's fortune. If their was any evidence of treachery, or whatever it was he had been up to, it was sure to be hidden in that room. Lee was far too guarded to reveal anything about his activities in further conversation unless Selina could bring something concrete to the table with which to force his hand. Flattery was wasted on him, and further gestures of good will would have a limited shelf-life with a man as sharp as he, as well as putting Selina at risk of revealing to much on her end. No, the only way to the truth at the heart of the matter lay behind that plain, unassuming door, currently guarded by two stony-faced Wardens.

Even if she could acquire to truth, would the Director want to hear it. The man had taken Lee's outmaneuvering of him so personally, as men who have grown so comfortable with the idea of their own importance often do. He wanted a head on a spike, and only just metaphorically! The Director would not thank her for clarity, if that clarity didn't allow allow him to have Lee escorted off Venture Horizon property in handcuffs, where everyone could see his disgrace. A spiteful man the Director may be, but if it came to that, Selina was clear on where her loyalties lay. Impressive commander or not, decorated hero or not, if Lee was conspiring to further betray Venture Horizon, to upset the delicate balance of power on which the new world was being constructed, a world that Selina had so toiled to help build, then he deserved everything that the Director's venom could throw at him. Yet still, Selina could not believe it. She was under no illusions that the Colonel shared her loyalty to Venture Horizon, and knew that relations between Lee and his superiors must have been ever more icy of late. However, the question still remained of what Lee could possibly have to gain from further treachery. It wasn't as if the man held any other loyalties any dearer to his heart. The Tigers may have championed him in public, but behind the facade they had taken his valour and thrown it back in his face, leaving him on the scrapheap. Else-wise, he would never have come into the employ of Venture Horizon, and Lee had never exactly been private in his vitriol towards them, then or now. Could one of Venture's rivals have come to him with an offer, in exchange for helping them acquire RACDI-Alpha for themselves? It was possible. While the energy giants of the modern age liked to build armies far greater in size and technological prowess than the governments that they had once relied on to protect their interests, they still approached war as a messy, inefficient approach to business. They preferred to conduct coups bloodlessly if at all possible, or at the very least fight through proxies before putting their own forces on the line. Their were many competitors who would love to steal the jewel in Venture's crown, but not at the risk of open war. Those competitor's might see Lee as a potentially valuable ally. However, Selina still thought this unlikely. What would be in it for the Colonel. He owed no more to the competitor's than he did to Venture himself, and he was not the sort of man who could be easily bribed.

Still, it was more likely to ring close to the truth than the Director's paranoia about Lee possibly trying to seize control all for himself. What would the Colonel possibly gain through that? The Pit offered him nothing he wanted; and, as well armed and disciplined as these Wardens had become, they couldn't hope to withstand an assault from Venture Horizon's main armed forces for long, which is exactly what the Colonel would provoke by taking such an action. It would be madness...

Could it be that madness had finally got to him then? It was no secret that Lee had been put under enormous stress during his tour in the Tiger campaign of the Pan-Arabian War, stress that even a finely-honed commander such as he would find difficult to bear. Behind the stories of his heroism, there were whispers that the siege of Bahrain, and the subsequent Tiger exodus, had broken Lee mentally, and it was noted in Venture's file on him that since the war ended, there had been a history of alcohol abuse and erratic behaviour. Was he drinking again? Selina doubted it. The pace at which the improvements at RACDI-Alpha had accelerated required a driven commander, not a drunken one. However, "driven" did not necessarily guarantee soundness of mind. What he had said at the end of her first day at the facility, of things he could entrust to no-one else... Had he finally snapped, and decided to go down fighting when the time came? Was he jumping at shadows, paranoid that the Director would set about undoing the Colonel's work, rooting out anyone that might maintain a level of loyalty to the man, as soon as the man himself was out of the way.

Whatever the answers were, they would be in Selina's hands soon.