followorders | IC Inbox for maskormenace

Two ways to skirt the laws, if needed. I expect you'll have need of it sooner or later.

[Remember that time you blabbed your mouth in Chorus convicting yourself and him along with you? Yeah. So does he. Time to plan for your debacles.]

[Sooner. Definitely sooner.]

Huh, you don't say. And what ways are those? Share with the rest of the class.

[He locks the entire conversation before continuing.]

They're willing to exchange their services... under the table, so to speak. We're still working out the details.

[A pause as he looks at the device more closely.]

You won't have need of them anytime soon, will you?

[Have you been a bad boy Felix?]

Edited 2015-10-07 01:27 (UTC)

Man, you work fast, don't you?

[Well. That's why you're his partner, after all.]

Come on, Locs. You know me. [...Yes, that's kind of the problem, Felix.] I know how to play by the rules when I have to. So no. Not for now.

[For now.]

[A deafening silence fills the air as his mind suddenly comes to a grinding halt.]

...........

[That name. This was why he woke up at night with voices in his head. Why he couldn't close his eyes without his own personal phantom clawing at his sanity. Why he spent hours planning his next move until exhaustion finally took over giving him a few hours of sleep.

"You know me... "

This was the reason. He did know him, which was why he finally turned his back on him. Why he betrayed him. But, Felix didn't know. Didn't know he'd died and he... he couldn't tell him. He'd chosen his role already, and yet pretending to be partners with a dead man who easily blindsided him with every word and gesture was taking it's toll on him. He wasn't dead. Not here, and Locus still didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.]

Edited 2015-10-07 02:40 (UTC)

[He stayed quiet for too long, and already he moved to correct it. Sloppy. He was getting sloppy, letting him get under his skin so easily.]

See that you do. I don't expect to finalize our dealings for another week.

[The pause is noted. It's long, even for Locus. And at a really random time too. It's just weird. And he'd really appreciate it if the weird things could stop piling up like this. Was something really up?

Felix doesn't pause at all. He knows how to keep a conversation flowing naturally, even when his thoughts are a little occupied.]

Yeah, yeah, got it. Relax, I'm not gonna massacre a neighborhood or anything, geez.

And if I get a job, I'll be extra subtle about it, just for you.

[...Has he actually mentioned anything about jobs to Locus yet? Hm. He probably should've done that at some point before now. OH WELL.]

[The subject is too tempting to ignore when he wants nothing more than to get away from his own thoughts, so he latches onto it immediately.]

What. Job?

[His voice is stern. Demanding. Normal.]

[...............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.

Felix.

[A warning.]

What. Did you take?

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

[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.]

.........

[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.]

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

...So he doesn't.]

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

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

Who. Is it?

Edited 2015-10-07 03:36 (UTC)

[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?]

[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!]

[...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?

........

[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.]

[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!

[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?

[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!

Felix.

[ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

[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.]

[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.]

[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.]

IC Inbox for maskormenace

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