IC Inbox for maskormenace

[followorders]

Speak.

[Click.]

 

Comments

[moneylogues]

[...............whoops.]

What, did you think I was gonna sit still here the whole time or something?

I mean I'm all for playing the long game, but I need something besides the bullshit government assigned job to keep myself busy.

[followorders]

Felix.

[A warning.]

What. Did you take?

[Please tell him you at least investigated your new employer before accepting a job with them.]

[moneylogues]

[HA HA, YEAH. ABOUT THAT...]

Would you calm down? I haven't even gotten any official jobs yet, it's just an arrangement I've got in place. Some guy wants a mercenary for shit in the near future and I was available, okay?

[And yet, for the next part, his voice is actually a little... strained. And what he says next is an outright lie. Not one of his sarcastic comments or one of his performances or even subtle manipulation. And this kind of lie is rare for Felix.]

...I've got it under control.

[He does not have it under control.]

[followorders]

.........

[That lie, though rare, instantly sets off alarms. No. He doesn't. What mess did he get himself into now?! He bites back the question, knowing Felix will only push back against him if he takes that route.]

Who are they?

[His tone is an octave lower, a sign that he's keeping his temper under control.]

[moneylogues]

[Damn it. He's... not sure how to answer that...

...So he doesn't.]

Does it matter? The guy hired me, not you.

Video

[followorders]

[The video suddenly turns on recording Locus in full armour staring back at him.]

Who. Is it?

Voice

[moneylogues]

[The fact that Felix stays on voice probably says a lot. Because when does Felix not take the chance to be a cam whore? Practically never.

Unless he's being evasive.]

Fuck. Look. I can't have you contacting guy, okay?

[That's "I need to make sure this stays in this call" and not "I'm not telling you", of course. They are partners, after all.

Aren't they?]

Video

[followorders]

[Locus does not switch back. If you're going to lie, then lie to his face. Do it. It'll only ease his conscious.]

...........

[And of course, he doesn't.]

What mess did you get into?

[This is why Locus is always in charge of choosing their jobs! This right here!]

Video

[moneylogues]

[...Fine, he'll switch to video now.]

Alright, look. When I got here and introduced myself on the network, I mentioned I'm a mercenary. And I got this anonymous job offer, right?

[That's not all that weird. Plenty of their employers have approached them anonymously at first.]

Didn't seem like a bad deal, so I went with it.

[This was maybe kind of a bad call to make. You know. In hindsight.]

Then it was radio silence for a few weeks, then right before you got here, he suddenly popped back up again. Said he wanted to meet with me alone, somewhere real private. "Meet me in the forest" private, like what happens in shitty crime shows. Who the fuck even does that, right?

Video

[followorders]

........

[You went with it.... Without tracking them down. Without investigating them. Without knowing who you were dealing with!]

And you went. Without back-up?!

[What kind of fool are you! That's the same line he used on Washington and guess what? He came alone. Congratulations. You are now officially a disappointment.]

[moneylogues]

[Well, gee. When you put it like that you make it sound kind of dumb.]

What back-up?! You? Because in case you hadn't realized, you weren't fucking here yet then!

I kinda had to do things solo before you finally decided to show up, okay? Besides, I'm not a complete idiot. I had an exit strategy in case things went really bad!

[followorders]

[That's because it is! This is exactly why you're not allowed to make important decisions without him!]

......

[He lets him rant. Lets him put the blame on him, and when he's done his response is low, precise, hiding the anger bubbling beneath the surface.]

What. Happened?

[moneylogues]

[This is why you're his partner! To stop him from doing dumb shit! So clearly this is 100% your fault and you should have been here earlier.]

Magic bullshit happened, that's what! And you can't expect me to plan for that!

[followorders]

Felix.

[ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

[moneylogues]

[There's no getting around this, is there? Fuck. Fine.]

I had my fucking heart ripped out.

[...Yeeeeaaaah.

He's still... a little touchy about that.]

1/3

[followorders]

[He stiffens, and behind the plated helmet, his face falls into something resembling a genuine human expression.]

............

[Silence follows those words as he stares at him through the screen. His mind is already supplying the gruesome image of his chest cavity being ripped apart courtesy of his years on the front lines. He tries to shake it off but the image clings on and all he can see beyond the screen is the image of Felix's still body lying at the bottom of the tower.]

2/3

[followorders]

[The silence reigns on far longer than the last but this time, he doesn't care. His temper from before slowly acclimates towards violence and Locus barely keeps it under control.]

3/4

[followorders]

[When he's finally able to find his voice again, the filtered words are eerily soft in their intonation, deceptively casual.]

So... you went and got yourself killed.

Unfortunate.

4/4

[followorders]

Who did you underestimate this time?

[Be very careful how you answer Felix. Locus is not who he seems to be. He's off... just a little. But he's always been off hasn't he? Except, this time it's different. But you know that already, don't you?]

[moneylogues]

[...Something is not right. Seriously not right. And the fact that he doesn't know what's going on freaks him out way more than he'd like to admit. He's not entirely sure how to deal with it. It's way more than just a moment of doubt or being distant - those he knows how to handle.

This? Whatever this is? It's new.]

I didn't say I got myself killed.

[I mean it's kind of a logical consequence from having your heart ripped out, but...]

What, you seriously think I'd die that easily? I'm almost insulted!

[If only you knew, Felix...]

[followorders]

[Wrong. Answer.]

You shouldn't.

[The tone is sharp. Hard. Even with the admission that he survived, Locus latches onto the one thing he doesn't say - their name.]

[moneylogues]

...

[He knows it's the wrong answer.

He just doesn't really want to give you the right one at the moment.]

You're really not letting this go, are you?

[followorders]

[Oh. You have no idea.]

They're a problem.

[Which in usual Locus terms means they need to die, except he's trying to stop that whole murder thing.]

[moneylogues]

A problem that's planning on paying me.

[It's clear that this isn't really enough to make him happy about this. Felix loves money, but uh, he does love keeping his internal organs internal a hell of a lot more.

And he's not sure what his chances are on that if Locus fucks this up right now. Later maybe, but not yet.]

I know how you deal with problems.

[followorders]

[Felix, Honey. He's already making plans on how to find this unknown problem. But don't worry, as soon as he's dealt with them, he's coming for you. He's been here less than a month and already you're keeping things from him. This whole partnership was your sham all along, but now that he knows what to look for he's beginning to pick at the loose threads. Partners don't lie to each other. They don't manipulate. And yet, that's exactly what you did to him, what he's doing to you now. What a mess.]

Then know this. After your payment is complete, your dealings with them end.