Thread: //.ghost/ECHO::Murphy_Was_Right:// [ClockworkCadence x Ryees]

The whole world was a stage as Lyra supported her companion as he walked, impressed by how well they both had managed to get through Act 1 of their little play. The proximity to her currentformer, at least for now?enemy was still an odd sensation, but she pushed the idea to the back of her mind during their ride into the unknown. Now was the start of Act 2, after allhe was certainly jumping into his character headfirst, his body tense and his face displaying an interesting amalgamation of pain and what seemed to be anger. All were characteristics she expected to see in a nervous and injured traveler, hating his circumstances and his powerlessness. Her own role of concerned companion manifested as a firm hand at his good shoulder, reassuring and at least somewhat steadying across the rough terrain. The other part of that character, the anxious outsider, required less of a conscious effort than the firsther body was already rigid at the trust shed placed in those that may or may not abuse that trust, and at the fact that she had practically no defenses at the moment, save for her abilities. The feeling of tension only worsened as their base came into view, a surprisingly impressive and well-fortified construct that had somehow survived the harshness of the badlands these past few years and still stood strong. Maybe these raiders were more capable than she originally thought. They seemed like your average, nothing-special operatives, but it was no easy feat for people so typical to sustain a livable settlement out here. And a thriving one, at that. As she exited, still supporting her injured companion, she got her first good look at just how these raiders had managed to survive this long. Permanent buildings, training grounds, a dense air of military-like operationthese raiders may not have the best skill set, but they certainly had a determination that kept them pushing through any adversity they may have faced. It was kind of respectable, despite the fact that this whole settlement was a terrible idea that was just asking for troubleit might as well have had a giant countdown on the wall, with how much of a ticking time bomb this place had to be before a powerful herd of .WRAITHS busted down their walls or another group of raiders laid siege in hopes of overtaking the fort for themselves. The thick canvas walls of the tent they were led into did little to block the cold from seeping inside, a chill rippling down Lyras spine until .GORGON s authoritative look sparked a fire in her to keep her warm. This bitch was really going to stand here acting all high and mighty, like she really had any power over her? If it wasnt for their pathetic traveler ruse, shed have punched this woman in the face three times over by now. Her gaze traveled over to the man beside her, his gesture towards the chair sparking a look of stern disbelief to light up her face. Youre kidding, right? Im just fine. You, on the other hand, are definitely not . Sit. She gently scolded, firmly pressing on his good shoulder to encourage him to sit, the hand staying there as a sign of their feigned closeness and dependence on one another. Certainly. Lyra acquiesced to .GORGON s not-so-subtle command to spill the beans, gesturing for a piece of paper and something to write with that she was supplied with after being leveled with a narrowed glare. A quick scribble with her left hand resulted in the paper being offered back to .GORGON with her right, face set in a carefully neutral expression. Those are the coordinates. Its located in the northern part of the Castern Mountains, near the river. .GORGON s lips pursed as she leaned over her desk, distrust evident in her tight jawline. Weve extensively explored the area. Youre telling me we somehow missed something? Respectfully, yes. Lyra started cautiously, not leaving any space for retaliation before she jumped into her explanation. The areas prone to rockslides, as Im sure you already know. This cache in particular isnt easily accessible due to rocks blocking all known pathways to it. With your resources here, you might be able to dig out one of these tunnels and gain access again, or there might be another passageway that hasnt been discoveredthats what my friend and I were trying to find. In reality, shed been hoping to just phase her way through the blockagebut there was no way she could let this woman know what she was capable of. There was a quiet pause as .GORGON considered her words, suspicion darkening her features. And how would a couple of random, unskilled raiders like yourselves know about this? Lyra suppressed the urge to shove the papers on the desk down her throat, anger bubbling just under the veil of pleasant conversation. Bought it from a data broker. Hed gotten intel on it before the rockslides buried it. She answered simply, gaze steady as she hoped this interrogation would be over soon. It wasnt entirely a liedata brokers were a constant and essential presence in RUNAS s ranks. They bought and sold information to make a living, preferring not to get directly involved in treasure hunting. They employed scouts to find intel of value, and although they possessed the adventurous spirit of a treasure hunter, they preferred to lay low and not draw attention gained by pursuing and claiming caches for themselves. It was a moment before the commanding woman spoke again, the gears in her mind turning as she considered how to proceed with this information. Thank you for this data. Ill send some of my more competent operatives on it in a few days once they return from their current expedition. Youll be joining them. At the look of confusion flickering to life on Lyras tense face, .GORGON leaned down over the desk again, her black hair falling to frame her stern expression. If you end up wasting my time, itll be on your head. That was the kind of statement that loosely translated to if we dont find anything, well kill you where you stand . It was barely a few seconds after the message sank in loud and clear before she simply waved again as she turned to the papers on her desk, a clear indication that she was dismissing them. With a curt, understanding nod, Lyra held her companion steady as he stood, leading the way out until the goons that had took them here escorted them over to a building towards the front of the fort, the harsh scent of sanitation and the unsettling feeling of death assaulting Lyras senses as she stepped into the bleach-white hallway. She hated being in hospitals, even todayfor a moment, she hesitated at the entrance, a nearly imperceptible pause as she swallowed her uneasiness back down to the depths of her subconscious. It wasnt long before she found herself lying down, the holes in her vest visible as it lay on the counter to her side. He must have had some sort of unique ammo or plasm enhancementsthose bullets shouldnt have torn through the material so easily. Her mind focused on the pattern of the fabric as she intentionally tried to ignore the doctor leaning over her bare torso, fishing out any bullets that werent dangerous to remove and cleaning the gaping holes in her body. The chemicals hed spread across her skin numbed the sensations down to light pressure, but they did nothing to calm her churning mind. When was the last time shed gotten injured like this? More importantly, what the hell happened today? A simple assassination job turned into a complete shitshow and a sleepover at a raider fort in the span of a few short hours. Things shouldnt have gone so wrong, but they did, and it left her head spinning reminiscing on all of it. So much had happened, and from the sound of it, so many more things were bound to keep happening. She was still stuck here with .LAPLACE . She was obligated to help some incompetent fools find her treasure. She still had a job to finish before she could return to Vincent. Lost in thought, shed barely realized the procedure was over until her footsteps had carried her through a door in another building, a few beds lining the walls with a familiar figure laying in the darkness. It was .LAPLACE , bandaged and awake, his ice-colored eyes quite pale in the dim light filtering in through the window. He appeared just as worn out and overwhelmed by the days events as she wasunsurprisingly, as he was the one with an assassin suddenly at his throat on an otherwise normal night. Yet with this oddly casual albeit tense look about him, she realized he looked quite different from the skilled killer shed seen what felt like a lifetime ago. This wasnt .LAPLACE right now. This waswell Hey. She murmured simply as she wandered inside, taking a seat at the edge of a bed across the room from him, gaze searching the outline of his form in the darkness. Whats your name? In all honesty, she hadnt expected him to answer, yet his voice broke the silence with a simple response Kirin . Kirin. Huh. Good to know. Seemingly satisfied, she stood to pull back the covers of the bed, burrowing her way into it as she stared up at the ceiling, hands tracing the rough bandage across her torso under the loose t-shirt shed been given since her long-sleeved shirt was encrusted in blood. Thoughts of survival pricked at her insides, encouraging her to stay awake, but the heaviness in her body and mind would soon drag her under. She was going to sleep defenseless in the same room as the man shed tried to kill today. Yet at this point, she honestly didnt care. She just wanted to rest, consequences be damned.