Zed - That has nothing to do with me! Your people jumped on me. They had their chance to get away, but they decided to stood in my way. Besides, you got all of your money and even got that Takker fella with you. Isn't he paying off eveything you in tenfolds for everything?
In a living room, Zed were walking back and forth. While Kilmure was away and Martin were having a shower, she made a call using someone elses communicator, to adress latest issues.
Mister J (audio call) - Still, you played your game and wan't me to sit down and enjoy the profits from your win? Then who am I exactly?
Zed - I don't know. You'l figure something out, it's not my job to run a criminal business or organisation, or whatever. My job is much more simpler!
Mister J (audio call) - I know that. And that's why I was so trying to contact you!
Zed - Oh... *sigh* let me guess, you want me to kill someone to make amends?
Mister J (audio call) - In a way. You see, someone were desperate enough to get a contact with you. So desperate in fact, that they would do some favors for me. And I had to pull up a lot of people just in order to send you that little message.
Zed - Oh really? You know, you don't sound like a criminal one bit, when you saying it like that.
Mister J (audio call) - Because my goal never was to become one. But that's besides the point. That 'someone' asked me to give you a clear message and give him your reply. And that message goes like this *ahem* "Necromancer calls the dead. And nobody came"...
Sudden message got Zed off guard. She stopped in a middle of a room. More confused than anything. A slight moment of silence hang in the air.
Mister J (audio call) - What is that supposed to mean?
Zed - I never speak about my clients... Thank you Mister J, but that would be it!
With a press of a buton, the call ended. Both sad and confused expressions slightly and briefly appeared on Zed's face. She stood frozen for a few seconds before looking at a time on a terminal in her hands. A set of simple numbers "14:22"
Then Martin walked out of a bathroom door, with nothing but a towel wraped around his waist, and walked past Zed and right inside a bedroom. Zed followed him with her gaze, right untill the door to the bedroom were shut.
Zed - Martin! When are we going to leave Odesa?
From a living room, Zed shouted at the closed door. The answer didn't came, so she walked over and opened a door. Martin only managed to barely pull up his new leather pants, and was startled as Zed appeared at the door.
Martin - Holly!!! Zed! Did nobody taught you how to knock?
Zed - Last man didn't survived my knok! I asked you, when are we going to leave Odesa?
Martin - I don't know! Maybe after a train heist?Zed - Train heist?
Martin - Oh... You didn't... Damn... Okay, we are going to do a train heist at the end of this month. Plan is simple, get the money, rob a train and get out. Perfect farewell gift for Odesa or something like that. Sorry for keeping you in the dark.
Zed - Why do you... *Urgh* Can we like, leave... Actualy, you know what? Never mind. I'l help you with that damn train even. But I would need an info on it.
Martin - Oh... Okay... But you have to ask Kilmure about it, since he has all of the plans for the heist.
Zed - Yeah, sure... Figures... Why do I always endup in something like that?
Finaly, Zed left the room and closed the door. Martin sighed with relief, as he started getting out if the pants, that were apparently way to tight for him. In fact, so tight, he had to jump around just to take them off, while cursing and complaining that he would never by leather pants ever again.
=== DHG camp ===
Andre - I used to know a woman... That lived in a white zone. Lived in a luxury appartment, she were in her late thirties... A-a-aand... She was a great woman. Honest living, honest work, big money, big boss of a big company. I mean. Everything anyone could ever dream off. And there were I... A simple courier of anything and everything that could fit in my bag... And all I did, was driving around in my car, trying to make a living for myself. I was barely seventeen.
Five man were sitting around a campfire in a folding chairs. Waiting untill the meat on a grill would be ready to eat. A bottles of beer were sprawled all around, but not in a trashy maner. Just quietly stacked around within the arms reach. An unusualy quite and chill day was worth of relaxing. At least that's what people around that fire thought.
Nick - Are you sure you aren't trying to sell us a cheap student movie plot?
Andre - It sound's like it in the begining... At some point I was just delivering as usual. And one day... That's where things went off the script of your usual cheap student movie. Usualy I would deliver an order to a door and would call it a good job done. The guards at the entrance would inspect me, call make a call at the appartment to confirm the delivery, that sort of stuff. But that day... November of twenty sixty third... The door was open... I heard someone shouting... an angry man and an angry woman were trying to scream at the top of their lungs. That was uncomfortable to see or to hear.
Workshop crew member - So far, expectations are low for this whole story.
Andre - Yeah... And it's not the good one story either. Because as I opened the door and said with loud voi. Both man and that woman stopped arguing, then that man would say something like 'I won't let your endless ambitions kill innocent people' and then he left, leaving only me and that woman. That wasn't my first time I have set a foot in her appartment. She was one of thouse who would hate delivery made by dolls or robots saying stuff like 'I want to support a real people, not corporate greed' and I could feel that. She would leave a generous tip for an order. And I remembered her adress by heart, slight smile always appeared on my face whenever I would saw her adress among my deliveries points. As I said, she was a great woman... *sigh* Wish I would have done something back then. As usual she said 'thank you for your service', gave me a big ti. Her whole room was in mess. Shattered glass, clothes all over the couch, even her underwear. And the next morning. Her death was all over the news. Just chuged a bunch of sleeping pills that I delivered that day...
Nick - Did anyone found out why?
Andre - Yeah... In a way. How it was found out, someone put her business through a hard time. And most of her employee found out that they are now stuck on a streets, because someone from a governer office decided that her company were doing way to good, and threw some new laws, that would made her company basiacly an illegal business. After a few weeks of court, she was forced to either send half of her employes into jail, or pay a huge fine that would put her in great dept and render her entire effort of bulding her own business a waste... She took the second option... And nobody knew untill a few months after that. By that time, It was already too late.
Workshop crew member - Damn... But let's be real. You couldn't have done anything back then. Nobody knew anything about all this. And even if you would have said something, it probably wouldn't have changed anything. She already ordered the pills anyway.
Andre - Yeah, I know, it's just... When you think about it. How things could have beed if it weren't for greed, for lust of power. There are good people in power, I belive in that, I know there are, because I had knew someone who was a good person and not blinded by either greed or ambitions. But how can you know? You just... Blindly make a choice and have to live with it.
All five men went silent for a minute. Only the sounds of fire and clill wind were breaking in at all times. Despite a rather cold story, nobody had a sad expression.
Anthony - Taking all of that in mind. If you were to speak up back then, you'd probably wouldn't have ended up with us. Duval isn't a good man either, we a-all can agree on that. But at the very least he is not as bad as someone out there.
Another workshop crew member, Anthony. An skiny man rough and wethered face, and the fact that he was cleanly shaved face, only exposed more of his small scars that he gathered over the years.
Nick - I heard you were running with Varjagers before, right?
Anthony - Yeah... For four years were repairing and fixing heavy machinery, guns and engines. Kinda was sick of it in the very first year, but it's isn't something you can just move away from. That's untill JayJay and his team raided the camp where I was in.
Andre - Rough life I guess?
Anthony - In a way... It doesn't matter where I go, or who I am talking with. It's rough life all over the place all around the world. People are dying either way. It's just a matter of reasons and motivations. There will alway will be someone who would kill someone else just for an opportunity to get a few more coins or just for fun. No need to go anywhere, you can find it everywhere.
Workshop crew member - Guys. I think it's time to stop over our philosophy minute!
With a exited expression, a man started taking meat with a fork from the grill onto a big plate. Everyone else started gathering empty beer bottles in a trash bag. Once all meat were on a plate, the man carried it to a table nearby, where even more beer bottles were standing ready.
=== The other side of a camp ===
JayJay - Repeat that please?Beda (Audio Call) - Get over there and be ready to ambush!
In confusion and stupor, JayJay scratched on his head before giving an answer.
JayJay - First of all, I'm not your pestonal mercenary squad. Second, HOW the hell did you managed to get yourself in charge of Mangie team?
Walking back and forth in his tent, JayJay were slowly putting on his shirt and jacket, while on a call with a Beda. He only got up from bed, bottles of empty beer were all around.
Beda (Audio Call) - I don't really have time to explain. But you are much more closer to the spot than I am. And I need some help to get this one done!
JayJay - You are NOT my doll. Not anymore! Go to your big daddy and ask him for help!
Beda (Audio Call) - I know I said a lot of things to you in the past JayJay. But this is something bigger than you and me! It's something our uncle gave me a green light.
JayJay - Yes... He gave YOU a green light. I don't have anything to do with any of these.
Beda (Audio Call) - Does it really the only thing you could come up with?
After processing situation, JayJay slowed down a little. When his hand were hovering over his backpack and holsters, he stepped back and turned to face Beda on a call.
JayJay - Listen here Beda. It was you who started running away. It was you, who decided that to leave my team and blame me for a being a bad leader. I am not going to go over it more than it has to, so just take that and find someone else.
Frustrated JayJay, made a few steps closer to a terminal, wanting to press red 'end call' button.
Beda (Audio Call) - You know more than anyone else, that there is no someone esle out there. And that we can only realy upon eachother. Otherwise there wouldn't be 'us' in the first place.
For a few moments, JayJay hesitated to press the button, but pressed it non the less. With a soft click sound, the call has ended and JayJay looked around his tent. Not much things he got here, just a desk, soft bed made out of hospital bed, an old wooden wardrobe and a single chair occupied by his backpack. The same thing he had for almost a decade. So today he decided to go out in new jacket... The same jacket he sometimes weared for seven years...
Upon leaving his tent, JayJay saw a group of man, sitting near a table, eating freshly grilled meat and drinking beer. Unusualy sunny day with cool and chill breeze. 'Perfect for relaxation and hanging out with friends' some would say. Maybe someone like Andre.
JayJay - Hey there! Got some more meat to share?
While approaching the group, JayJay looked around. The camp wasn't all that lively, despite the fact that many people were there. Most of them were taking sweet time of rest. Since nobody knows when will be action.
Nick - So you are finaly awake? Not much meat for you, but we were going to make a second round of the grill, since we have a lot of meat in here. You can join in if you want.
Without an answer, JayJay took another foldable chair from under a table, and took a sit nearby.
JayJay - I got waken up by a sudden call. | Anthony - That's unusual... Who were the brave one?
Workshop crew member - Duval, who else could it be.
JayJay - And that's where you got get, Partner. It was a doll... And not any doll, but Beda!
Everyone were taken by a slight surprise. JayJay stared at Andre, waiting for his reaction
Andre - Beda? Wha... What did she said?
JayJay - She said that she needs my team to set up an ambush on a some fella that is going through a red zone, and he ju-u-ust so might go through an ambush point or turn the other way. AND... That she is having a great time, leading a group of Mangie with herself.
Nick - She what now?Workshop crew member & Anthony - What?Andre - Beda what?
Everyone was taken up by a surprise and sat right up. Everyone switched their attention on Andre, waiting for an answer, or rather, explanation of this story.
JayJay - I didn't belived her either. But then she shared a video with me for a moment. And there was a bunch of Mangie soldiers on a live feed. Still don't belive that she is in charge of them...
Andre - I knew that Beda was great at getting herself into predicaments... But that's a new level. Can I ask you to help her out? Just this once?
JayJay - Help her out? For what? I would be happy if that doll get's wreaked and lost.
Andre - Look, JayJay... I know that Beda did you a bad favor when she begged Kilmure to switch teams. We all know that. Everybody knows that. That won't change what happened. But as far as it goes... This isn't just my team reputation. It's a whole camp reputation on a line.
JayJay - So what? You want me to go on and help that bloody doll, just because it's our reputation?
Andre - If it was just mine... Nobody would have asked...
A heavy sigh. JayJay looked at everyone around the table. Without a single word, JayJay stood up.
JayJay - I am missing on a fine grilled meat because of your doll Andre. When I get back, I want double the boys, double the beer and double the meat!
Andre - Well, I can do that!
With irritation, JayJay headed back to his tent to grab that damned backpack and holsters.