Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters created by Ubisoft for Far Cry 3. Everyone else is fair game, though.

Rated: M for violence, profanity, sexuality, etc.

Chapter 18 - When the Smoke Settles

A war had broken out on the northern island of Rook. Just as quickly as it started, it ended. Vaas's men had equipped themselves with gas masks and canisters of the weapon The Dragon had brought with him. The nerve gas was deployed immediately, surrounding the natives and enveloping them. Some managed to run away, their lungs and eyes burning, others were not so lucky. The unfortunate victims began to scream and writhe in pain, dropping like flies. The gunfire and explosions died down. Vaas's goons chased the remainder of the vigilante villagers through the jungle and back to their homes. The Rakyat stood tall on the enclave overlooking the encampment. Bodies and blood were everywhere. The shacks were in heaps of blown out or burning metal and wood. It looked like an absolute catastrophe but regardless, Vaas chalked this up to a victory. The Dragon's methods really did pay off. He was satisfied that the natives would leave him be now that he had shown his hand.

Once the smoke settled, the bodies were moved and burned collectively. They began rebuilding like nothing had happened while the villagers went home to lick their wounds and devise a contingency. If they were to be so bold again. By the time morning rolled around the Kendra made her way back, all was seemingly normal. The slaves were moved back in, most of the damage had been repaired and Vaas was sat upon a rock, offering a smug smile to the brunette as she wandered up. "Vaas." She stated. Her blue eyes glanced around, noticing that all the odds and ends of the camp were a bit different? "Did some redecorating while I was away?"

"Something to that effect," he replied, hopping off his rock. "How was Dragon?" He really didn't want to know the answer. He was still livid at Darius for even sending Kendra over there. Even so, he wouldn't let his mood be ruined.

"Surprisingly chatty for an arms dealer." Just like Vaas wasn't looking for any details, she wasn't giving any.

"You know what? I've been thinking..."

That's dangerous. Kendra thought.

"You and I can help each other." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. He envisioned a grand scheme of how he would thwart his sister and Darius in one fell swoop and finally get the control he so desired. Citra's obsession with the Rakyat heritage would be her downfall. She was trying to take a place that did not belong to her and was thus not prepared for it. Vaas, on the other hand, had been raised to lead the Rakyat. Unfortunately, his history was a little rusty but fortunately, he had himself a cheat-sheet - Kendra.

The woman raised a brow at his arm on her and studied his overly gleeful expression. Something about this didn't settle well. She went along with it anyways. "Help each other?"

Vaas nodded and stopped in his movements, turning to face the brunette, "Yes! I was wrong to keep you away from the Rakyat history. You want to know more about it and so do I. I mean...it is my heritage and right now you're the only expert on the matter. I'm gonna let you do your job if you help me do mine."

"And what does your job entail?"

Vaas looked around to make sure there were no eavesdroppers about, "To rightfully take my place as leader."

"So you've finally come to your senses and tire of being a subordinate?" She was testing uneasy waters with a statement like that but she had to test it anyways. She knew who Vaas was, or at least she started to suspect it the longer she stayed with him. If it was true that Vaas was the heir to the Rakyat throne, then he could unlock the secrets Francisco Castillo was looking for in Nepal. But for such a corrupted man to rule? It was a terrifying fantasy. He obviously couldn't be controlled by any conventional means. If she helped him and he helped her, the results would be inevitably devastating. That was something she couldn't allow, despite her burning curiosity.

Nevertheless, Kendra could help him just enough to get what she needed. If she played her cards right she could get everyone to turn on each other and make this place implode.

She slowly nodded her head in agreement, "Alright. You'll have to tell me what you know before I can tell you anything of use."

It was well into the night after Vaas and Kendra had struck a deal. Once they were back at his shack and she was changed into more comfortable clothes, they began pouring over her notes and that of Castillo, looking at maps of the islands, and pictures of the temples and ornate stones. They exchanged information; she told him about her findings in Nepal, he told her more about the legends of the Rakyat. He didn't care for legacy after he got involved with Hoyt. Citra could have it all. However, after years of playing good dog, and fighting off both the Rakyat and the villagers, Vaas had had just about enough of this mess. He wanted his freedom. Instead of leaving the island and finding what he wanted out there in the world, he would reclaim his heritage and find bliss in leadership. Or so that was what he hoped. Kendra suspected he would be traveling a long road before that ever happened. He had his ambitions and she had her reservations. She neglected to tell him about the scroll her and her team managed to procure and what use it would have to him to embrace the power of the Rakyat. It was need to know only information and he certainly didn't need to know.

What interested her more than anything was his equally ambitious sister, Citra. She sounded like hell on Earth by the description. Given the tension between the two siblings, Kendra figured it was the perfect opportunity. She would need to talk to this sister soon.

Vaas was fast asleep after the proliferation of info Kendra just fed him. She was still awake, hunched over the table, examining the new charts she was given access to. She needed to come up with a plan and soon if she was going to succeed. She flipped to the back of her journal to write something when she noticed someone else's handwriting.

I'm not dead and I hope you're not either. I teamed up with the natives and we attacked the camp but no one's here. I can only hope you see this. Just know that we're doing everything we can. - Charlie.

Kendra almost gasped out loud but the fact that Vaas was in the room stopped her. She sat up ram rod straight, blue eyes staring down at the words scrawled in her journal. Charlie was still alive when she believed for the longest that he was dead. Vaas had tried to trick her and the others into giving up hope and he almost did. She looked over at him and snapped the journal shut. If Charlie were still alive then she could definitely use his help. She decided her next step would be to get an audience with Citra and let the manipulation of the Montenegro's begin.

A/N: Yikes this is short but alas it is the setup for much bigger things to come. Citra finally comes into play! n_n