"I love it when a plan comes together!"

[infinite1up]

Who: Members of the City Guard, Sato, and a few others
What: Catchall for everything associated with Assault on Guard HQ
Where: City Guard HQ
When: From after Sato's network post through the next morning.
Warnings: Many violences, much death (likely mostly Sato's), wow.

Comments

[foundafamily]

For a moment, Firo's silent on the other end. Should he tell her? When you're on opposite sides, admitting you won't fight is a major weakness. It lets the other person know that they can do anything they want to you, that you're defenseless and nonthreatening. Two very bad things to be in a fight.

He has to tell her. It's the truth, and she's important to him. "I'm not gonna fight you. I'm only here to take him out." He sighs. "I don't expect you to get it, but I've got a reason. It's good enough for me."

[circumitus]

Right now, the picture is still not clear enough for her to gauge the whole of it. For all she knows, Firo doesn't realize who or what Sato is, and he's making a huge mistake.

Ironic that they're both aiming to do the same thing, just in their own different ways.

"You do realize that, by taking him out, he comes back. Right?"

She grits her teeth, not nearly as eager to explain how she knows this.

[foundafamily]

Firo sighs. This is awkward. Really awkward. "...Yeah, that's why I'm here. Look, like I said, I have my reasons. I don't expect you to be okay with it, but I've made my choice."

He's surprised to realize that he's actually anxious when he waits for her response. But why shouldn't he be? They're friends, and he's always hated to think about going toe to toe with a friend.

[circumitus]

For what it's worth, Rey isn't quick to judge. Maybe it's true in that Firo has his reasons, or maybe he simply doesn't know what he's up against.

His answer, for that purpose, is less than satisfactory.

"Did he tell you how he was going to trade people's bodies for Rage's deal?"

Whether or not that was the point of this or just a convenient side effect of Sato's plan to stir shit up, she isn't sure. Does it really make a difference, though?

[foundafamily]

"Oh, yeah?" He doesn't sound too surprised, just mildly interested. "I guess it's 'cause using his own before didn't work. Funny, before he kept complaining about how it'd be so hard for him to carry bodies from the tunnels."

Firo hopes he's not going to be asked to help with the lifting.

"If he's just using bodies, what's it matter? They're dead anyway. That's definitely not the worst thing he's done." Now, he won't even try to argue that the killing isn't a problem. Especially now that Rey's one of the people here. But she's tough... if anyone can hold their own here, it's her.

[circumitus]

Similarly, Rey doesn't find herself all too surprised that someone like Sato would try to trade his own parts for Rage's deal. He's got creative ways of trying to cheat the system.

"Would it matter to you if he uses the bodies of anyone you care about?" Rey quips. She doesn't know how many connections Firo has to the people here, but she knows he isn't devoid of compassion.

She stops, glancing towards the direction of the Guard HQ before turning her eyes back to Firo's makeshift sniper's nest overhead.

"Does he have something on you?"

It's the only thing she can think of that makes sense. Firo may be immortal, but his type of immortality would make him easier to neutralize than, say, someone who can be killed and later revived by Hope at his temple. No doubt Sato would figure out a way.

[foundafamily]

That hits where it hurts, because of course Firo cares about Rey. "Ever since Shadow quit, you're the only person in the Guard I care about." He sighs. Damn it, Rey, he wishes he'd known--but no, this is his own fault.

He tries to keep his voice businesslike as he continues, "No. This is my choice. And I can't really back out now, you know." Firo'd hoped that his cooperation would make it easier to protect his friends if Sato ever started going after people. He has no illusions about what might happen if he pissed the guy off.

"...You won't let him get you, will you?"

[circumitus]

"Wrong," she retorts immediately, without hesitation. "This doesn't just affect the Guard. Do you really think he's going to stop there after this? What if Muscovy ever gets caught up in the middle of it? He follows me around, Firo!"

No thanks to Nick telling the kid to 'keep an eye' on her. Even when he might not think that Rey notices, she catches glimpses of him here and there. For the sake of keeping appearances, she tends to play along.

But playing isn't an option this time.

"I know you can't tell him to shove those plastic explosives up his ass right now. Just be smart about this. We'll talk about it later." The muscles in her jaw tighten as she looks away again, huffing. "Don't worry about me, either. If this goes all right, he won't even know I'm here."

[foundafamily]

Firo can't stop his temper from flaring up at the mention of Muscovy. He doesn't take his brotherly responsibilities lightly. "He's why I'm doin' this. You think it'd be easy keepin' Sato away from him if we're enemies? And I've been watching this the whole time, so I know he's not around here."

Another 'perk' of taking the task he did. At least he gets a good vantage point. And if somehow Muscovy did stagger into the fray... Firo's in a good position to do something about it.

His voice is still taut with anger, but there's nothing false or halfhearted about his next words, "Good luck."

[circumitus]

Rey can hear her teeth grinding in her mouth over Firo's heated reply. Not out of anger this time, though Rage no doubt would have loved that.

This is something else.

"I understand."

She doesn't want to make enemies out of someone like that, either. It's why she's been playing this tired song and dance. Because part of her gets it. Even thrives on it. The thought of rendering this whole city apart with fire and ash and smoke sends a tight feeling of giddy anticipation in her chest. A feeling that she has to keep locked in a cage and hope that it stays there.

Before disconnecting, she hesitates. Pulling the phone away from her ear for only a second, she responds: "You, too. If things go south, get the fuck out of there."

Suppose it would be pointless, telling him not to get killed. So she doesn't. She just has to trust him on this.