Lazarus Corporation Headquarters

[0stinato]

As Tethys felt Shark move away from her, she suddenly felt a vulnerability set in. The normally keen-eyed, keen-headed Shark was being pointed out of the room completely, will bent to accommodate the wish of the man who instructed her creation to occur. Where would she go, if anywhere? Probably go back down in the elevator and stand motion- and thought-less in a corridor somewhere. Where was Steele telling her to go?

But her mind was recallibrated onto him when that smooth voice started up again. As if he had a computer-generated larynx. It was very strange. But Steele's words were more... more to Tethys and she needed to keep them. As he spoke, she began to repeat what he was saying in her own head, a testament to him and to her; "If you can't put your weight on someone with full trust that they won't let you fall, you won't get far..."

Shark was gone from her side, yes, but Tethys had to trust she'd stand at attention with her next time it was required.

So she frowned, leaning her weight on her hip and folding her arms, sticking her lower lip out a small way. He might be able to control Shark with a point but Tethys wasn't under his spell yet. No doubt he would be able to control her though, now that she had the same neuralware as Shark did... if he wanted, he could probably have Tethys running in circles by now, literally.

"Don't start yapping on about loyalty 'n' shit, I already told you, I'm in this world now. And you wanna know how loyal I am? I had Grough for 15 years right enough, that's a whole decade and a half, I haven't once let him be writ off. And I crashed Grough into a field so what does that say 'bout me?" she raised her eyebrows and tilted her head back, a confident half-smile resting on her lips. "So don't be banging on about it, just get to the meat of the thing, willya? What do you mean request, can I tell Shark or is this like... you know, an over-the-head little test you wanna try out on me? I mean I s'pose you want me to kill someone, don'tcha? In the films it's always like that, the client says they have a request and - bang - someone's gotta die."

She wasn't sure if she was being clever or being stupid. Because, through the time Steele was listening to her, he didn't seem to move. Just a slight, almost invisible if it wasn't for the glow of the nightlife behind him playing on the material of his suit, change near his arm. But Tethys tried not to look at that - she needed to keep her eyes on his. Or where she thought his were in his shadowed visage.

Mr_DC (Getting some serious déjà vu right here, I swear to God I wrote this in a dream, a woman getting sarcastic when someone has to be killed...)

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

"You don't seem like the person who has patience for dancing around the issue." Steele's cybernetic fist clenched but didn't release. His tone was sharp. "I apologize - I have spent all my life in this surrounding where taking about nothing for half an hour, only to get to the point in the last minute is the norm." His fist relaxed but his tone didn't. "Yes, as crude as it is, I want you to kill someone." He said the word like he was disgusted just by saying it. Like it was beneath someone of his status. And it was. People like Steele never had to say things like that directly. They needed people gone. Silenced. Taken care of. They didn't need someone murdered or killed.

He turned his head to the entrance to his office, where Shark walked off to. "I would ask Shark to do it but the person in question could turn Shark against whoever with just a few words." Steele suddenly locked his gaze onto Tethys and took a step towards her. "I don't think you would be that... Weak." He turned his back to Tethys and paused for a few moments that simply dragged on. "We're doing this for Shark. I don't want her to be in danger. And we don't want her doing something that would harm her." Clasping his hands behind his back, Steele started walking away from Tethys again.

"Here's what I need you to do." Steele started laying out his plan. "You will go to the address which will be provided to you. Find the woman in question - information will be provided - and end..." He paused, letting out a frustrated grunt. "Kill her before she says a single word. Shark should be enough to protect you on your way out. Just be sure to give her as little information as possible." Steele turned again. "I can expect you will bring this to a swift end, can't I?" He motioned his hand at the door, not waiting for the reply. "Report to Mr. Keyes when you're done."



That's pretty rude. A well-known voice spoke in Shark's head again. Lilly was watching the whole scene. Of course she was. She was in charge of the entire building. I mean, you bring in the new girl to meet the boss and he just throws you out without even asking how you are? You got butchered at Ronin.
It's fine. Shark frowned. I understand. But she didn't. She didn't understand why Steele ignored her. Why he was so focused on Tethys. Did Shark disappoint him that much with how Ronin went?
No. You don't. Lilly replied, making Shark even more suspicious about what exactly she could read from Shark's mind. Do you want to know what they're talking about? Lilly offered, sounding cautious and careful. What she offered was breaking rules. Rules set by Steele himself. Was that within her abilities? To defy even Steele?

No. Shark refused. It wasn't her business to know. She was just there to do as told. Just a tool. She just hoped Tethys was the same. That Tethys wasn't somehow special now. That her humanity didn't give her some understanding of Steele that Shark lacked. Yes. Shark closed her eyes.
Steele offered her a job. If she does it right... Lilly paused. Tethys will replace you. Steele thinks Tethys is good enough on her own. After all, he thinks you came out in the same state after Ronin. He invested a lot into you and nothing into her. And you both got hurt equally bad.
But... I helped her in Ronin. Shark frowned, opening her eyes. She would be dead if not for me.
I know. You and I know that but she didn't bother correcting him. Lilly spoke fast. The meeting must have been coming to an end. She took the offer. You two are going on a mission but as soon as you come back, you're replaced.

"No." Shark let the word escape her lips. Tethys wouldn't do that to me.
She wouldn't? Lilly asked. I'm sorry but... She just did. Steele offered her power and... That's what humans do. You and I know loyalty to your friends is more important even if our only friends are each other. Right?
Shark didn't know what to say. Tethys wouldn't do that. She wouldn't just throw Shark away. But... She knew Shark for only a few days. Tethys threw her entire life away for an opportunity to be someone in Lazarus. Would Shark matter when an opportunity from Steele himself was offered? Would they both just throw her away? Because she wasn't like them? Because..
Listen, Shark. Lilly started again. I really like you. We're the same. I want to help you. All you have to do is follow my instructions. You can do that, right?
Shark swallowed hard. Yes.
You trust me, right?
Yes. Shark closed her eyes.
You trust me more than Tethys?

"Yes."

 

[0stinato]

Although she'd not admit it to herself, standing in front of Steele like this, her mouth was drying with each syllable he said. As soon as the confirmation came through she realised something. Words were words. Kill was a word. To kill, while an action, was an action in literature. It was much different when it was her hands having to do it. She would be doing the killing now, and it would no longer be a word.

While he spoke she just tried to think of nothing but that it was... expected of her. Legal? No. Allowed? No. Expected? Yes. And, because the CEO of Lazarus wanted someone killed, it would sort of make her action legal. Because she had the protection of this entire complex at her disposal if he so desired it to be. The law was as below as the city streets. Up here, Steele, Tethys and Shark were above it. Because Steele had all the money, all the power, all the future. Tethys wouldn't be facing a sentence for doing her job for Steele, would she? No, she'd come back, report to Mr. Keyes the deed was done, and be sent to clean up more... "dirty laundry". Again and again, her hands would have blood on them.

And not even the thought that it was Steele who owned her hands gave her comfort. She'd never thought of it this way. When Shark had told her they'd be going to deal with the protesters, Tethys was passive about it. Because, at that point, it was merely Shark and herself together. The words were words. Tethys had not had the opportunity to see the words be actions.

And now she was being sent to kill a woman at close range - probably at least. "Kill her before she says a word" Steele had said, so likely she'd be face-to-face. Or maybe it was just to show Tethys had to kill this woman instantly. As soon as the woman was in her scope, in her eyes, near enough to strike her, she was expected to be as quick and efficient as...

Well. Any quick and efficient animal.

"Awright..." Tethys said to herself as Steele effortlessly waved her away. It was expected now, the words were not just words. They were actions pending execution. She'd... have to... "Awright."


She exited Steele's office with her mouth in a thin line, her small eyebrows pulled down over her eyes very slightly. How was she going to tell herself it was alright? Kill. Kill, kill, kill. She'd done it countless times in video games, taking down aliens, zombies, other human characters. Perhaps she could pretend it was like that. She didn't think her mind was capable of that.

She walked with careful footsteps. They had no spring in them, none at all, but how was she supposed to walk that way now? Perhaps in a few weeks, once this was over, she'd be able to jog down to the shops, grin overtly at the cashier and just thank them for reminding her life was fine. But for now, her steps were going to be like this.

But, despite all of this, the first question she found herself asking of her friend upon locating her was this: "Is my mind gonna become like yours soon? Quick 'n' efficient 'n' all the shite Mr. Keyes said before. When we were in the medical room thing. With your watch, you remember? Is my mind gonna change, do yuh think?"

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

"No." Shark replied, almost wordlessly. "No." She repeated, clearing her throat. It was both a hope and a firm belief. Tethys was human. She broke when she was being shot at at Ronin. She panicked, was afraid. No amount of combat would get her hands to stop shaking when a bullet flew past her head. That wasn't the case with Shark. Since the first time she was being shot at, she didn't worry about it. She was aware of how little value her life had. Of how unimportant it was. Her purpose was to die for Lazarus. That was something she was told time and time again. It wasn't the same with Tethys. Tethys was meant to live. Live for herself. Live for Lazarus.

"Minds don't change." Shark added, not quite sure what she meant by it. That wasn't what her mind was on. Her mind was on the expression of her friend. "What do you think of Mr. Steele?" She asked, changing the subject and following the instructions she received just before Tethys approached.
It didn't feel right. Nothing felt right. Not the words she was hearing. Not the words she was saying. Not the things she was seeing, not the things she was feeling. Shark felt like a stranger in her own skin. She was meant to be a soldier. Not have friends. Not allow herself to be betrayed. Not turn her back to anyone who was still alive. A part of her felt she could trust Tethys. Another part felt betrayed. The conflict was painful. It was distracting. Inefficient.

"What did he want to talk about? Was it..." She paused - like instructed. She wanted to punch a wall. Following instructions in social interactions. She felt more like a dog than when she was being told to fetch a VIP. To hunt. But it wasn't because they were social instructions. It was Tethys. Following instructions against Tethys was the problem. "Was it something personal? You don't have to explain if so." Shark nodded, carefully watching Tethys. She wasn't sure what she was looking for but realized an error with herself. Following instructions wasn't natural. She wasn't blinking. Her eyes were burning. It wasn't emotions. They were just dry.

Shark blinked a few times to disperse the potential tears. To wet her eyes. "Can we go to the infirmary?" Shark closed her eyes, aiming her head at the floor. Her brow furrowing, she continued. "I want to get my watch." Wasn't the part of the plan but she needed it. She needed something to hold on to. She wanted it. To remind her... Who she was? To remind her she liked something. She wanted to feel human. Like she was something more than a weapon. Like she was something other than just an agent.

 

[0stinato]

Tethys wasn't sure what to say. Never had she been put in a position in her life where her words seemed futile, but now they felt like that. What was she to say or do? She could answer Shark's questions, but they seemed to be labelled as void as soon as Shark's mind fell on her watch. All she could do was - once again - fall into step behind Shark. Trying to walk normally with her slightly jovial spring, Tethys let silence rise for a few minutes. They were going to the infirmary, and at some point Tethys would get information about the job Steele wanted her to do.

It'd probably be relayed through her mind. But would it be relayed into Shark's too? Tethys wasn't sure. All she did was try not to think anything concrete that Shark might hear, tried not to make too much noise.

"I, uh..." her voice was awkward in the air, so she tried to remember Shark's question. What had Steele talked about?

"He didn't talk about much. I dunno why he sent you away, he just wanted me to do a job, thassall. Said you proba'lly couldn't do it yuhself 'cus it'd... I dunno. He just said he wanted me to do it to help you. I'm kinda scared but I assume you're coming with me so I'll be awright. It's... a different reality now, innit? I'm kinda scared, I just hope I'll be able to not be scared soon. I'll just be able to do the job like you do and be... whatever they want me to be. Efficient and stuff."

She wondered if Shark was listening or if she was too focused on getting to the infirmary. And did Shark remember about the job they were going to do before Steele wanted them? Or - no, not them - wanted Tethys? Did Shark remember about the protesters or were they just as unimportant as ants on a picnic mat? A bit of an annoyance but nothing that can't be brushed away.

"S'why Mr. Keyes let me stay, wasn't it? Didn't blow me head off. Efficiency 'n' shit," she sighed. "I dunno. Moving too fast, dunno if I'm fast enough to keep up."

The corridors swept past like ice, cold and harsh white, and Tethys still had no idea where they were going. But Shark did, Shark clearly did. She was probably back into the neon neuralware world, probably had something like a minimap in her head at this moment. Tethys wondered why she didn't have one, but soon brushed it off - she wasn't Shark, she wasn't practised and important as Shark was. And Shark was on a mission to retrieve her watch. The least Tethys could do was stay with her, if only so she didn't get lost.

(Not my best, not at all. But hey, I was right not to trust Lilly, was I not?)

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

A grumble. Almost like a growl. A barely audible growl. Barely. Can't do it herself. Lilly was right. Tethys was there to take over. To 'help' Shark. Like Shark needed help. Like she needed Tethys to cling along for whatever reason. She didn't need Tethys. She was fine alone. That was what she was created for, after all. To fight alone. Without any friends. Without any allies. Just alone. And that mission might provide Shark a way to prove why she should be alone. To get rid of the competition. Just a stray bullet and...

Shark's mouth opened slightly and her eyes unfocused as she opened the drawer in the room they woke up in. The watch was still there. Ticking along like it always had. Shark closed her eyes, clenching her jaw. "No need to be scared." Shark whispered, opening her eyes. "You've got me." Shark smiled, placing a heavy hand on Tethys' shoulder and giving her a reassuring nod.

If that was what Lazarus wanted, then that was what Lazarus will get. If they wanted to replace Shark, it was their right to do it. That was what she was for, after all. She was made to fight alone and if they wanted someone else to take over, then she had no place in standing up to them. She agreed to it. No, she hadn't. But she was created for it. That was the point of her life. If she was told to put a gun to her own head and pull the trigger...
She would hold her breath, close her eyes, clench her teeth, and do as told.

"And don't worry about efficiency." Shark scooped up the watch. "It makes you numb. You still want to feel something, don't you?" She patted Tethys on her back as she walked out of the room again, path planned to the garage. They would need a car to get past all those protesters. "Whether I'm her or not, don't focus too much on efficiency. They wanted you for who you are, didn't they? Changing who you are would be ruining what exactly it is that they want." Shark shrugged. She felt light. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. No plot in her head. No fear of being replaced. If she wasn't afraid of being shot in the chest by the enemy, then she had no reason to fear being shot in the back by an ally. By a friend.

Finally pocketing the watch in one of her pouches, Shark looked over her shoulder and flashed a quick smile. "Don't worry. If things are moving too fast, we can always slow down. I don't want you to trip." She turned her head ahead again, coming close to an elevator. "I saw how clumsy you can be." She chuckled. She felt strange now that she surrendered her life. She felt almost... Human.

(Sorry for waiting. Busy weekend. Were you right, though? Or am I just that good of a writer? And am I just teasing you with this?)

 

[0stinato]

"I'm kind of clumsy, ain't one to lie. Just get overexcited. Awright, we goin' down in there? We already going where... well, where I gotta kill someone? Izzat where..." she stopped, chewing the inside of her lip. She was kitted out in full armour, and had different breeds of weaponry not just on her person but probably inside it too. She didn't know what the Lazarus technicians or surgeons had installed in her arms, and she doubted it was anything nice. Probably less Swiss-army-knife with a nail clipper and tweezers. Much more likely her elbows shot out acid or something.

"I'm glad your watch's alright," it felt like uninspired small-talk, not a gentle nattering, but perhaps something had changed and Tethys didn't want to admit it. If she looked down at herself now she knew she had the same thread of being. Still tall, still walked how she ever had, held her head so her strides bounced her hair up and down... it was all the same and she was the same. Despite the arms, despite the neuralware. But nevertheless, something had changed.

She didn't have the label of 'vulnerable' anymore. It'd been practically stripped from her and now she was standing side-by-side with something created to kill. Shark's skills were far superior to hers, there was no doubt, but she was still under the same title as Tethys - Agent. Tethys wouldn't be seen by Lazarus - by Steele - as a rookie anymore. And she was probably being looked at differently by Shark, even though she'd learned sod all yet.

No formal training of how to kill, and, although Tethys couldn't be totally sure, she thought she'd never killed before. Never ended taken a life before. And yet, Steele had sent her to kill someone Shark wouldn't be able to.

Someone had a hold on Shark, a hold so strong that it tapped into something Shark wouldn't be able to turn away from. So why did Steele think Tethys could pull the trigger on someone who meant so much to her friend? On someone who had promises, dirt or blackmail even, against Shark? Tethys could only make it clear to herself that it was a test. Shark hadn't mentioned anyone that may have such a hold on her - aside from Steele, Tethys remembered how easily he'd pointed her out of the room - so maybe it was no one at all. And even if it was someone... a killing machine being unable to kill. Tethys wasn't even a machine, let alone a killing machine. What could she do?

She tapped her fingers on her thigh as she thought, resisting the urge to glance sideways at her friend. Did it mean something? What was it, what did this whole corporation mean? Tethys had to do the job she'd been sent to do for efficiency's sake. She shouldn't even be doubting her new boss. But yet she was. And yet, she didn't know why.

Everyone has enemies, everyone has foes and friends. Shark would too, right? Tethys certainly did. Steele would. But there was something painfully unnatural about how Steele had described Shark's potential inability to manage to kill.

"Yuh know, I'm not sure why I'm even here. Like, I've not been trained at all, 'ave I? I s'pose I can just about shoot straight so maybe that's all that's needed. Things usually so rushed? I dunno. Might just be overthinking. I'd prefer it if you was the agent and I was just... Sharky's little helper," she laughed, "not that I mean to sound ungrateful to Steele. But you know. I ain't nothing yet."

This time, she did look at Shark, fully tilted her head. Hair, eyes, soft features, a hard and toned man-made body. Fully deserving of the title Tethys was doubting.

Mr_DC

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

"You didn't get the details yet?" Shark cocked an eyebrow, getting in the elevator and sliding her finger over the screen where the button for B-4 was. Smoothly, the elevator started its descent.
"I'm sure you'll know what you're heading for soon. Must be something simple if you're not given time to plan." Shark concluded. It had to be. They wouldn't give a near impossible mission to someone so fresh. "Just be sure to see things like that as your duty." Shark paused, eyes locked on the slit in the silver elevator doors. "Taking pleasure... I don't like people like that." She vaguely concluded. But she knew what she meant. She knew exactly the kind of people she didn't like. The people running tests on her. She wouldn't have had a problem with their satisfaction with the job they were doing if she hadn't seen the other side. If she hadn't seen how Steele felt when he observed the tests. He showed her how people should act.

Shark smiled at her friend. At the doubts she had. Somehow, things seemed clear to Shark even if they didn't to Tethys. Even if they didn't seem clear to Shark when she was full of doubt as well. "Then you're not supposed to shoot. Right? I mean, they did take you to help me when I need help. To help the machinery on the field. I guess that includes me."

I need to ask you for a favor. Shark heard a voice in her head. I know you changed your mind. I'd just like you to... Listen. The person you're going to kill. I would like you to listen to her for a bit. Then you can do whatever you want. Lilly paused. I promise, you won't be in any kind of danger.

At the time Shark was having her internal conversation, Tethys was getting something more like a page of text. An address which belonged to a downtown bakery. A warning of presence and description of the tech-savvy terrorist group "Bunnies". Target not identified by name or picture but her position in the Bunnies. Their leader. A way of entry - the Bunnies were expecting a pair of defectors from Lazarus.
At the very end, a note. Shark is allowed to know only what is vital to her performance. Information to be given sparingly.

(Feels kind of liberating not to worry about the beauty of my post and just focusing on moving the plot on. I hope the posts don't seem too bad, though.)

 

[0stinato]

Just as it was before, that rapidly-scrolling text appeared before her eyes, though it wasn't really there. It was as if she was seeing it in her head, and her eyes were forming the words she was being told so quickly. Nothing, none of those letters were there. Her mind was doing it all, making it all visual.

Bunnies. Tethys wasn't sure if she'd heard of them or if they'd just been whispers above her head. Perhaps she had but she'd not been too bothered by it all. After all, she had her own issues to worry about. But now they did seem to be her problems. The Bunnies were her problem now, hers and Shark's.

"Wait, hold up, how're we gonna get into, like, right into their operation? If I gotta... you know, take out the leader, how's... how're we gonna get in there? Brute force or we gonna pretend we're meanna have a meetin'? I dunno, I'm..." she kept getting the information relayed to her.

"Oh, they're gonna expect us? Shit. I'm probbally not the kinda person they'd expect am I. Maybe I'll catch'm off guard. Be all 'hi!' and 'hello!' but... then bang, dead... ah shit. Not looking forward to this. Sorry for rambling, I tend to get jumpy when... well, in general."

But if Tethys was killing the leader of the Bunnies, what'd happen after that? This was practically more of a suicide mission than she was sent on before. With the recruits that never returned. If only she could remember, then maybe she'd have some pointers. But what should she expect? Would they be able to walk in with just a name as their entry key? Would the leader be expecting them? Would the leader know she was a target...? Probably. In fact, Tethys had no doubt that she would definitely know, she couldn't be the leader of such a formidable team and not be intelligent.

It would be a messy, messy time, Tethys decided. Thought any plan she would try to formulate would probably be blown out of the water. So she decided, as she walked along the corridors with Shark, that wiggle room would be better than a plan. Winging it. Do what she had to in the moment.

Would Shark be okay with that? Or did Shark have some sort of sketchy, vague plan? If Tethys decided, in a split-second, to run off somewhere to attempt a strategy, would Shark take it the wrong way? She wasn't sure. Strategy worked for some, but Tethys' life seemed to roll on an at-the-moment track.

She'd have to learn to get her thoughts into Shark's head. Keep the private curses private, but let Shark hear the ones she needed to. Whispering "shit" to herself was a very different thing than shouting it. If Shark could hear it, it would be a cry for help. If she couldn't hear it, she wouldn't have to worry.

(I know what you mean. I feel that way at the moment, though I'm very much letting you get them to where they need to be. After all, I don't want to say they walk outside and you had them inside... I'm just being internal with Tethys at the moment.)

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

Shark glanced at Tethys as the elevator doors opened into a massive garage under the tower. Countless vehicles from expensive town cars to armored battle vehicles. "We're expected?" Shark frowned as she walked towards a gray SUV. She assumed Tethys was getting information from Steele. Annoyed her as much as a jab in the ribs. She quickly put it out of her mind.

"What's our assignment?" Shark asked, walking up to the car and the door opened on its own. Lilly was watching them. No doubt aware of Shark's intention to not follow the plan. Shark closed her eyes as she sat in the driver's seat. She wasn't made for intrigue. For plotting. For defying orders. It felt unnatural. Like she put on her boots on wrong feet. She was feeling close to the edge. Tension in her chest with every breath. Teeth clenched involuntarily. She wanted to shoot. Soon.

The car started driving, heading up and out of the garage. "Where are we going?" Shark turned to Tethys. "I assume Lilly knows." She motioned her head at the road ahead. "I just need to know what to expect. How to act." The car reached the surface and was hit with a few drops of rain. A promise of more. That was Nevereign. Never dry. Gray clouds always looming above.
The car paused for a moment in front of the heavy gate manned by an army of guards. The gate opened to a sea of protesters who moved away as soon as they came face-to-face with several gun barrels. They didn't move far, though, and still blocked the way. As much as they could - the car pushed them out of the way if they didn't move.

(I'm just going to rush them towards their destination. No need for the ceremony of finding a car, getting in the car, and getting out of the garage in more than one post. I'm rushing the details. Hope you don't mind. Just so we have a bit more to post about than just our character's thoughts. That isn't really active roleplaying.)

 

[0stinato]

"Yeah, we're..." Tethys hesitated and glanced sideways at Shark. She didn't know? Perhaps because Tethys thought she was still below Shark in terms of rank, she fully expected Shark to have the same information - if not more - than she was getting in front of her eyes.

But Steele had said that it would be a protection for Shark if she didn't know the whole story, not a hindrance.

"Um, yeah, we're expected. Basically... okay, well, you wanna go to..." she shut her eyes as a map highlighted in shades of blue and orange lit up her mind. Fully functioning as a three-dimensional GPS, it delivered to her the name of each road, the number of yards, and, finally, the end destination. This was clearly the power of Lazarus' nerualware, giving Tethys a virtual eye-in-the-sky.

"You wanna go West, kinda head downtown. Dun't look like a big place, but maybe that's the point. Anyway, yeah, downtown bakery, taken over by this Bunnies gang apparently. Down a li'ul side street so hopefully we won't be too suspicious when we waltz on in."

She couldn't tell, but it felt as if the smooth vehicle was going above the speed limit. Scenery fairly whizzed past, even though the other traffic was moving at the same speed as them. Something just felt a little off about how Shark was driving the thing. Or maybe Tethys had just spent too much time on Grough's back to remember what an actual car-like vehicle was like. Either way, something about it made her frown.

"We gotta go kill the leader of this," Tethys said, unable to stop the sigh that followed her words a few seconds later. "I mean, I gotta kill her. S'what Steele said. Said I gotta do it. Do you think it's a test, do you think he's testing to see if I have it in me to kill? I mean, he said he was assigning me to do it 'cause of you but... well I mean, maybe it's a test to see how far I'd go to help you out..." she couldn't help but pause again, waiting until Shark had switched roads before continuing. "But yeah, apparently we're expected. Dunno if the leader woman's expecting me to blow off her head, so I dunno how much defence there'll be once we're there."

Would the Bunnies be standing around their leader, or keeping a close eye on the two Lazarus Agents? Or would the meeting with the woman at the top of the pile be accompanied with the forever-accurate crosshairs of mounted wall turrets? Once again, Tethys glanced at Shark out of the side of her eye. She wanted to know how to act, she wanted to have a plan.

Tethys wanted the opposite.

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

"We're expected." Shark repeated with a determined nod. That would usually mean finding a way in that no one would expect them to take. Perhaps driving the car straight through the front door. Maybe going in through the roof. Perhaps just walking in and playing passive for as long as that would last. But that would be playing the game how Lilly wanted. That plan was ensured to get Shark to live but did it mean that Tethys would also fall? Perhaps she could use the same strategy on Lilly. Acting unexpected.

As Tethys spoke, Shark focused on the road, wanting to drive instead of the artificial intelligence assigned to the vehicle. She wanted to feel in control at least for a moment in the mission which was designed to make her as powerless as possible, it appeared. She wanted to at least drive to her own destruction if nothing else.
While a small portion of her attention was on the road, following instructions and listening to Tethys, the larger part was scanning all data they had on the Bunnies. Not extremely aggressive physically but almost unstoppable technologically. Contrary to popular belief, they were the biggest threat to Lazarus and regularly came close to ruining everything they worked for. That is, until the Lazarus AI was given free reign. Now no one can punch through their defenses.

"You have to kill her?" Shark turned to face Tethys, quickly glancing back at the road. "I don't think it's a test. They can't know what you're doing. They can't see through your eyes. At least, that's what I think. I can do it for you, if you..." Shark paused, a frown surfacing on her face like the road said something offensive about her driving. "Because of me." Shark got quiet. She nodded. She almost forgot what the mission was about. What it was for.

Shark parked across the street, in front of a local bank, where they had a clear look at the colorful bakery in the midst of steel and glass buildings. "That's the place. If they're expecting us, then lets give them what they're expecting. That's my suggestion." Shark shrugged, her mind on the plan Lilly laid before her. The closer she got to the execution of the plan, the more it seemed appealing. She wanted to serve Lazarus but she didn't want to kneel and take it.

A young woman hopped out of the door of the bakery as a pair of suited men walked in. She woke a skimpy, pink outfit and bunny ears. Looking directly at the car, she waved and returned into the bakery again. "Yeah, we're expected."

 

[0stinato]

"Apparently I gotta kill her, yeah, that's what Steele said. And he's, you know, gonna be the most powerful geezer in the... world? Potentially?" Tethys squinted as she thought about it. "If he defeats death then is he God or sommit? Izzat how that works?" Tethys shrugged. "I'll suck it up, I'll... well, I'm gonna have to do sommit like it sooner or later right? Might as well be today..."

Yeah, Tethys knew that. She knew it, it was sitting on the surface of her mind at all times. When Lilly had told them to deal with the protesters, that emotion had been birthed. A mixture of inevitability and dread, its colour was a deep and hideous navy. But it had not fully sunk into her brain yet, so she couldn't yet say the word 'kill' in that context without her skin reacting.

It was her job, and she had to do it.

As Shark pulled over and stared across the street to where the bakery was. Tethys hadn't even been paying attention, too wrapped up in her own crisis to let her eyes engage with the surroundings.

"Shit, we here?" she said in a deep whisper. No other tone of voice seemed appropriate. Despite the colour and noise emerging from the bakery's form, as well as the women who were showing perhaps too much skin for this to be an actual bakery, there was something ominous about the place. But perhaps that feeling was being planted in Tethys' mind because of what she knew about her quarry. Dangerous, intelligent, hidden.

"Hey, I think they're serving other kinds a' baps in that bakery. Gawd, reminds me of the Dancer, you know? But more bunny-themed. Izzit a playboy mansion?" she climbed out of the car, trying to keep her own spirits uplifted by her own little humours. Optimism, a cheerful smile, the reality that everything would be okay. Why not joke on the way? Besides, if they did, surely their enemy might let their guard down.

She hopped off the curb into the road, her arms swinging as she adapted her walk to a jovial bounce. With every swing, her wrists brushed past the array of weapons she had on her hips. Dressed like this, and armed as she was, she knew she'd never manage to negate suspicion. But perhaps her smile, if she could summon it to her lips, might give her more of a chance.

Tethys began looking for the woman who'd waved at them. But, in the interior of the bakery, she'd managed to lose herself in the scattering of other bunny-clad women.

"Unless they're storing guns in their fannies, they don't look armed," Tethys said over her shoulder. "What do you think?"

(I'll be gone from now until tomorrow evening (7, 8, 9 pm GMT maybe). I'm not abandoning! Just bad timing I have to be without internet right when it gets interesting.)

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

Shark looked at Tethys with a frown. Other kinds of what? Which dancer? Shark decided they were just terms she was unfamiliar with but also unimportant for the task ahead. Just another moment of rambling for Tethys. That rambling could become dangerous if she said the wrong thing at the wrong moment inside. Especially since Shark intended to get them as far as she could, following Lilly's plan. She just didn't want to tell Tethys everything. Finding out that Shark knows everything might make Tethys act... Unpredictable. More unpredictable.

The bright colored, crowded bakery was almost too much for Shark but she felt at ease. Lilly told her nothing would happen to them. Lilly wouldn't mislead her. "I think we're safe." Shark mumbled to Tethys, locking eyes with one bunny enthusiastically waving them over. "Lets see how far being passive will get us." Shark gave Tethys a short nod and headed to the door. "Don't start a fight where there is none." She said more to herself than to Tethys. It was a sentence she heard before they left. Those weren't Shark's words. They were Lilly's.

Giving them a nod in the noise of the bakery and a motion of the hand at a wooden door which might as well lead into the bathroom, the girl disappeared into the crowd. "I'll go first." Shark took the knob and turned it. That was the point in taking her to that assignment, after all. Let her go first.

The room on the other side was pure darkness. No light. No nothing. Even the sound seemed to be swallowed up inside. Shark bravely marched into the deep room and stopped. She didn't know if she walked up to a wall or not but felt confident. She trusted Lilly. A compromise between two sides. "Close the door." She instructed, not quite caring that she seemed to know more than she was supposed to. Just step into the dark.


(Don't you usually take about a day to post? Thanks for letting me know, in any case. Wish more people behaved the same. Including myself.)

 

[0stinato]

Tethys wondered if a useful bit of neuralware that they hadn't got installed would have been the ability to see in the dark. Instead of having night-vision goggles, for example, all they need do is mentally activate a trigger that would adjust their vision. On second thought, maybe the Lazarus tinkerers had done that.

She was half-way to closing the door when she stopped and squinted, trying to will night-vision into her eyes. It was about fifteen seconds before she realised it was futile, and another three before she actually shut the door tight. In this darkness, it felt inopportune to speak. Even her breath, which sounded louder in her ears than it had a while ago - a side effect of nerves, or maybe the room was small - felt like it was disturbing something deistic here. Rousing a beast that should never be awakened.

Moving closer to where she last saw Shark, she remembered the mental communications they had. She could say anything to Shark right now, surely?

But something in her mind went off like an alarm, a mentally flashing light that told her to shut up: this place was Bunnies territory, and they were the tech wizards of the world. Either surpassing or on par with Lazarus itself. If there was anyone who could listen in on Tethys and Shark's unheard conversation, it would be them.

So all Tethys did was reach out her hand slowly, her index finger eventually coming into contact with some part of Shark. Could be her back, could be an elbow, Tethys had no idea. But she was glad Shark was still in her immediate vicinity - she was nervous, scared even, and the darkness was bringing the tension to a strong crescendo in her stomach.

Was she supposed to say something? Breath through the new barrier of silence and introduce herself? Say straight out that they were from Lazarus?

She cleared her throat, setting her eyebrows in a line and forcing her voice to project, "I know you Bunnies like burrows, but we're not used to 'em. If you was expecting us, I hope you prepared a lamp or sommit."

She closed her mouth after that, unsure if the pseudo-witty remark was useful or not. Were they being watched, were they surrounded, the dancers in their skimpy outfits armed with sub-machine guns ready for them to make the wrong move? Tethys didn't know. But she did know that, at this point, she should rely on her ears. Any audible step or click that could indicate something, she didn't want to miss.

(Ah, but you never know what nine hours of The Hobbit will do to you. Anyway, yes, I usually do take a day. I want to rectify that and get my posts up quicker, so I'll be doing my best to not keep you waiting so long from here on.)

 

[Mr_DC]

0stinato

Shark felt a touch on her back. She stiffened for a moment before connecting the two. Tethys was probably feeling lost. The darkness was deep. Consuming even. Even Shark blinked instinctively a few times as she felt she was too close to something yet, when she extended her hand out, nothing was there. There was a shred of doubt in her mind. A growing ember of suspicion. At Lilly. At Steele. At Tethys.

Shark looked over her shoulder when Tethys spoke. Her voice bounced around in the darkness. She felt... Unnerved. Shark opened her mouth to whisper but hesitated. She noticed something. Something that was right there. Not in the room but in herself. The implant. It wasn't working. It was so subtle that she didn't even notice that part of her missing. It was as if her arm went numb. It was still there but simply not obeying. So obvious yet Shark had no idea when it actually went offline.

That must be why Tethys spoke out loud. She probably noticed that half of her mind was...
Shark's body froze for a few moments. It was as if even her heart stopped so she could focus on it. Focus on the sound she suddenly noticed. It was as subtle as her implant going offline but its start was unmistakeable. Shark forced her jaw close and looked directly at the source. Not a large distance ahead. The clicks, clacks. Ticks and tocks. The sound she fell asleep to countless times. Somewhere over there. Ahead. Close.

"I-I-I heard you like those." A woman stuttered from somewhere in the room. Not far but... Not close. The acoustics were getting on Shark's nerves. She wanted to hear the ticks better. She wanted to see what it was. "I'd rather n-n-n-not turn on the lights." The woman continued. Her voice sounded weak. Frightened. "Kinda... Scared of you." She chuckled nervously. "Both of you. C-c-could you put y-your weapons down? P-p-p-please?"

Shark complied. Her shotgun and handgun dropped to the ground with a thump. She didn't care she was disarmed. She wanted to find out the source of that. That sound. It was perfect. In harmony with the watch ticking in her own pocket yet so much stronger. So much better. More... Efficient.

(No, don't rush. This is working just fine for me )

 

[0stinato]

"Put your weapons down." Shark was bending to that, Tethys heard the clatter of heavy but unseen objects fall near to her. It must be Shark dropping what ever she was armed with. Tethys' mouth stayed in a taut line - the woman that neither of them could see was able to see them. She knew they were armed, she knew they were being cautious.

Thing is, Tethys had nothing in her hands at all. Stupid idea, probably, but whoever it was probably wanted Tethys to be completely disarmed. Which meant she had to spend time, in the blinding dark, unhitching each pistol from her hips, laying each one in a pile to her left. She was dropping her weapons before she had a chance to fire them, was that it? Tethys didn't even want to.

But, as she was placing the last one, the revamped laser pistol, on the shoddy pile, she blinked in the darkness. Her mission, her whole purpose for being here, was to kill someone. Perhaps it was the lady speaking now, maybe that was her quarry. And yet she was giving up her weapons.

She bit her lip as she made the split-second decision not to fire blindly in the darkness. It wouldn't be hard to just snatch something up and fire as best she could, sending round after round into the dark, perhaps getting a better aim with the millisecond flash of light produced by the pistol she'd chosen at random. Perhaps she'd hit her target, and perhaps she'd get lucky that it was the woman Steele wanted her to... deal with. Would the woman be expecting it? Probably not, now that Shark had dropped her weapons.

If the woman could see them, or if there were other unseen figures poised with weapons at the ready in case either of them tried anything, it could result in the death of both of them.

Something still told Tethys to try, but... Shark had dropped her weapons. So Tethys straightened up, arms at her sides, her only weapon now being her own bare hands. Well, maybe she had something in her new arms that would make the killing job easier, but in her mind, it'd have to be a brutal fight of persistence and patience.

She felt her breath catch in her throat as she recognised a rhythmic sound. Now that she'd finished clattering around with her arsenal, there was nothing to listen to in the silence of the darkness but that steady beat... beat... beat... of something. Her eyes shifted to where she thought Shark was, but she said nothing to her.

Instead, she turned her voice to where she thought the woman was, "Ain't got shit on us now, awright? We good? We good?"