Argus Comms: The Offer

## The Offer

### Description

While hunting Hawkeye, Argus operative Orcus receives a surprising offer from his target.

### Speaker(s)

Orcus Sergeant Major Ted "Hawkeye" Ramsey

*(sound of footsteps hitting concrete)*

**Orcus:** Command, I'm close. I've tracked the target to a drainage tunnel. No doubt he's planning an ambush.

**Ingram:** Be careful, Orcus. Hawkeye is not to be underestimated.

**Orcus:** Don't worry. Whatever he's planning, I'll be ready.

*(sounds of slow clapping and footsteps coming around the corner)*

**Hawkeye:** Well, you came sooner than I expected. Argus, I'm guessing. Look, let's skip formalities. I know why you're here. You wanna kill me. But trust me when I tell you, you are going to hear what I have to say. I have an offer for you, and I think it's in your best interest to hear me out before you do anything...rash. So, let's have a chat.

**Orcus:** What could a True Son scum like you possibly have to offer me?

**Hawkeye:** Well, it's more of an offer for the group you work for, with you as the messenger.

**Orcus:** Give me one good reason I shouldn't just blow a hole in your head right now?

**Hawkeye:** How about enough C4 charges in this tunnel to crush every bone in your body? That enough reason for you?

**Orcus:** I can outrun your little trap.

**Hawkeye:** You might. Or I might just have rigged the entrances to blow first, trapping you before a particularly large block drops on your head. Hunter or not, you're not surviving that. Do you want to take that chance?

*(silence)*

**Hawkeye:** I'll take that as a yes. Here's my offer. I respect your organization. I truly do. While I might personally find your methods...distasteful, that's my personal view. I understand the role of...unconventional tactics in modern war. It's just not my style. That being said, you are all very clearly skilled individuals. You have resources, training, technology, and the backing of some powerful people.

**Orcus:** If this about trying to get an alliance with you fascists....

**Hawkeye:** It's not. Let me finish. Look, you want this intelligence I have? I'll give it to you. See, only I know where this intel is. Only I know how to get access to. You kill me, I have dead-man programs that will send it to my superiors. You'd need to be there in person to stop the upload. And you'll never reach it in time. But, I am willing to lead you to it. Well, I'll tell you where it is and how to access it. No offense, but I don't trust you not to just kill me when it's done if I take you there myself.

**Orcus:** So, what's the catch?

**Hawkeye:** Not a catch. This is a deal, an exchange.

**Orcus:** Then what's the "exchange", asshole?

**Hawkeye:** Simple. Argus and True Sons, it's clear we're never going to be "allies". Only one side is going to win this war. I can't say who it will be, but I've chosen my side. So have you. It's just the nature of things. But I think you're so focused on the obvious threat in front of you, you've missed the wolves preparing to strike.

**Orcus:** Where is this going?

**Hawkeye:** We have a common enemy, you and I.

**Orcus:** And who is that?

**Hawkeye:** Ever heard of Raven's Rock?

**Orcus:** Russian ultranationalists? We've been monitoring them for some time.

**Hawkeye:** Look, I don't know all the details. But I came across evidence that the Fireflies are working with Vladimir Volodin and Raven's Rock on something big. From what I could gather, it has something to do with Russia's nuclear arsenal, false flag attacks, and through it all, one common word across all their communications. "HYDRA". Most True Sons, myself included, do not like Crestwell, and we especially don't like Volodin. Whatever they're planning, whatever "HYDRA" is, it's something we both have a vested interested in stopping. I can't move against this, but Argus has the resources and specialists to stop it.

**Hawkeye:** Here's the offer. I give you the intel location and how to access it. You destroy that evidence and go back to slinking in the shadows. We both walk away, alive. In exchange, you stop your attacks on the True Sons and our allies. Let us fight our wars without your interference. Focus on stopping Crestwell and Volodin. Those two are a bigger threat than Brooks could ever be.

**Orcus:** I can't promise that.

**Hawkeye:** You don't have to. I know you'll do what's right. You can find your intel off the side of the interstate in Des Moines. Exact coordinates are written on a note over there. Dig down far enough and you'll find it. To access the container with the data, you'll need a decryption cypher. It's attached to the note. If you don't use the cypher key, the system is programmed to upload the data to High Command. The container is sealed tight with several biometric tungsten locks. You'll never stop it in time. So use the cypher key. It should be obvious how to when you get to the container.

**Hawkeye:** Just so you know, I only dislike your methods because I feel it causes unnecessary suffering. But I still respect your skill. I chose my side, you chose yours. However this war goes, if I see you on the battlefield, I'll give you an honorable fight, and should you lose, an honorable, quick death. Maybe you'll give me the same courtesy?

*(Hawkeye drops a smoke bomb, vanishing into the night.)*