Author's Note: This is just a teaser prologue. I was running through a quick game of "Gears" the other night and had a random thought pop through my head and I wanted to write a story about it. This is the result. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but I figured it would take a couple chapters to really tell the story I intended, however, the chapters will be shorter in this story than they usually are when I write and will be separated into Parts instead of Chapters.
Summary: Dominic Santiago tells Marcus about how Franklin the Stranded came to owe him a big favor.
IOU
Prologue
"You owe me, and I'm calling in the favor!" Dominic Santiago jabbed his index finger at the other man, emphasizing each word with the rough movement. He even prodded him the chest once to get his point across. This wasn't an option and Dom wasn't giving him a choice. In his experience most stranded were assholes, but this one he had personally come to know, and Franklin was one of the biggest ungrateful bastards ever.
Even after everything that Dom had done the guy just stood there and acted like he was just another 'fascist pig.' However, Dom wasn't going to play this game. Not when they were so close to possibly ending this whole damned war. They needed Franklin's vehicle, and they needed it now or they'd never get the resonator Baird was lugging around over to the Imulsion mines in time.
Franklin apparently got the message, reading the serious expression on Dom's face like a book. Tonight was different than usual. The Gear wasn't here scrounging for bits of information about his missing spouse; he was there on business, and with the other gears there with him Franklin knew that if he didn't give a little he would find himself in hot water fairly quickly. "All right man," he relented, "but this makes us even. No more favors, Santiago. You understand?"
Dominic knew what he was threatening by his tone. No more information about Maria. The moment he brought Marcus, Cole, and Baird there, throwing his weight around and making demands he'd burned that bridge. Although he had to admit that that bridge had always been fairly shaky. However, Dom had never had to worry about Franklin or any of his men putting a bullet in his skull just for shits and giggles. Now, all bets were off and he wasn't so sure. Of course they wouldn't pull anything now but dynamics had changed and the next time their meeting would probably not go so positively.
All it took was one minute, one minute to tear down nearly a years worth of work. It's the price of this job, though. Sometimes we have to be assholes and piss people off.
Yet, as much as Franklin was pissed he couldn't have possibly matched the amount of fury Dom was giving off. He was practically radiating it. "I'll be seeing you." He said, and turned as the four of them began to walk off.
It was then that Franklin insisted that he and his crew keep Cole and Baird there as collateral. None of the Gears liked it, but there was no choice. Dom had already bargained as far as he could and the agreement was tentative at best. Marcus ordered them to stay there in the meantime and as he and Dom walked off he couldn't help but notice Dom muttering in irritation.
As soon as they were away from the main hub of the settlement Marcus looked at him, unreal blue eyes bright against the coming gloom. "What was that about?"
Dom knew he meant not only his angry outburst, but also the whole obviously personal conversation. "It's a long story."
"Well, it's going to be a long walk…"
Well, that's all that I have right now. I'm currently working on a lot of different stories, and I'm working constantly, so I don't know when I'll get to update. Although I'm going to try. R&R and let me know if you seem interested in the storyline.
- Shadow