Kar98k fought every urge to jump across the table and stab the doll across from her; every line of her code telling her to kill Scarecrow. For whatever reason that she was here, it was obvious that she had considered no one else's interests but her own. It wasn't hard to understand why Sangvis Ferri would want to put down a rogue faction that was trying to actually contribute to society, but that did not explain why they needed Griffin there in the first place. Based on prior history, they would be more of a hindrance to each other than any sort of ally. Scarecrow seemed quite aware of her confusion, and simply laughed to herself with that emotionless face. "I'm sure you didn't recognize me at first," she bemused, "since the last time we met you set me on fire."
Kar98k took out her bayonet knife and stabbed it into the table, fitting quite well with the beaten worn look of the old wood. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do it again right now."
Scarecrow looked at the flammable liquors behind the bar before continuing their conversation. "Originally I was here to investigate this mysterious Juliet figure," she explained, "until I started to notice that it wasn't just Sangvis Ferri dolls and drones patrolling the streets."
"The mysterious White Faction that crashed the failure of the Joint Op, yes." Kar98k wishes she had first hand experience with them, but she was preoccupied with her own death at the time.
"A shame you never got to meet them," Scarecrow shook her head in feigned regret, "when I heard of your encounter with Agent, I feared we may never meet again."
"Stay focused," Kar98k snapped her fingers, "what do they have to do with Juliet?"
"Well I'm not sure," Scarecrow answered, "I just know that they've been sneaking armor and weapons into the city recently and giving them out to anyone associated with that Paradeus cult from out west."
That was useful information, but it didn't explain why she needed to be dragged into this directly. "What does this have to do with me?"
Scarecrow looked around suspiciously, making sure the only people listening were too drunk to remember. "I was poking around in Juliet's systems to probe for weaknesses when I discovered descriptions of you and your entire group were recently sent to whomever they may be. I believe they were trying to spring a trap on you."
Kar98k felt a ping in her neural cloud, an alert that Scarecrow was trying to electronically share something with her. For a moment, she considered whether or not it was worth the risk to accept the request, seeing as it could be an electronic attack or worse. Unfortunately, the recent circumstances and revelations piqued her curiosity more, and she regrettably accepted the data share. Splitting her vision, she was immediately met with a slough of information that she was already aware of. Much of it was the data that Fredrick had been collecting as part of her experiment, with addendums and assessments of personality and combat style. All of this data was internal, and had to have leaked from within the Brigade. Most important were the neural cloud scans, proving that they were copied, which were accompanied by a footnote stating that unreported changes and upgrades that might affect performance and capture were made by the maintenance officer. It seems as though the built in codes and programs were meant to control her in the inevitability that she resisted recapture, and they were still undergoing the preparation of a trap when someone else contracted Griffin first. Kar98k closed the data and catalogued it for further study. "If you could contact us for a contract," she asked, "why not just simply send this information?"
Scarecrow looked at her like she was stupid. "If this information is real and supposedly classified, I doubt I'd be able to get it to you through your communications." Scarecrow explained, no doubt having studied the data herself a thousand times over. "Besides, by forcing them to spring their trap early I will also force them to make a mistake and perhaps even find valuable data from them I might otherwise miss."
"I understand that," Kar98k insisted, "but why are you helping me?"
Scarecrow leaned back on her seat, a small smile on her lips. "For the simple reason that I'm more likely to find valuable information if we work together rather than fight each other." She thought for a moment before adding on to her reasoning, "with the added benefit that Griffin can operate more openly in this situation than I can."
"And with you and your guns we'll be able to withstand the advanced weapon tech of our enemies." Kar98k finished the thought,
Scarecrow nodded. "I just need your assistance getting close enough to Juliet to assess how she operates before I can try to take control of the dolls. Their main facility is very well guarded against electronic attacks, and I don't want to accidentally alert them to my presence if I don't need to."
Kar98k thought for a moment before coming up with a plan. "I can help you in that regard, but I need to bring you back to my team first."
Scarecrow raised an eyebrow, but realized she was in no real danger from them. It was a matter of trust, and they were both going to need a lot of it if they had any hopes of fighting the horde that would try to wash over them. They had both seen what that White Faction was capable of in a pinch, and neither wanted to have a knife in their back on this particular battlefield.
Kar98k practically drowned in embarrassment as she brought Scarecrow through the threshold onto their crummy apartment headquarters. Immediately, they were greeted by the smell of cheap takeout from a greasy pizza shop and the entire group arguing over an old American sitcom based on a group of friends living in New York City. They were so engrossed in their fighting that they didn't notice that their Commander had even returned. Kar98k sighed as she closed the door and cleared her throat to get their attention. The fighting over the fictional couples and relationships continued, completely oblivious to the world around them. Angry, she grabbed one of the unopened cans of soda that came with the pizza, shook it up and stabbed it with her knife. She held the can so the foamy sugar water sprayed all over the four girls, getting them to notice her presence. Immediately they realized what was going on and stood straight and attention despite dripping wet with what would become a sticky and sweet mess.
Kar98k, finally the focus, introduced Scarecrow. "This is our contract, who was kind enough to share with us some valuable information." She explained, knowing that the girls were going to pitch a fit. "Scarecrow here alerted us to a potential trap."
"I'm sorry, Commandant," StG44 interrupted, "but who did you just say she was?"
Kar98k sighed. "Everyone get it out of your system."
FG42 was first to speak up. She made no attempt to hide her shock as she asked "yeah, uh, what the fuck?"
"I second that question," StG44 added, "why the hell is Sangvis Ferri paying us?"
"Sangvis Ferri, isn't paying you," Scarecrow explained as she retrieved her mask out of her trench coat, "I am the one paying you."
"Shut up," G43 spat at her, "we're the ones asking the questions here."
"I didn't ask any questions."
"G43, let the grown ups speak." FG42 smacked the doll on the back of the head. "But 44 has a point, why is she contracting us?"
"Juliet is working with the White Faction to set up a trap for us." Kar98k explained, wondering what information she wanted to pass along to them. "She wants to help us spring it so we can all benefit."
"How do we know there's a trap?" MP40 asked, not privy to any of the recent data leaks or issues. She was, however, quite familiar with the White Faction and their forces.
Kar98k hesitated as she considered telling them. "You and I can discuss it later, alone." Scarecrow gave her a look of shocked curiosity, openly surprised that she was keeping secrets. "Any more questions?"
"How do we know this isn't her plan?" StG44 asked.
It was a good question, and Kar98k didn't have a positive answer. She had no real reason to trust the Ringleader, but Scarecrow also had no reason to go to such complicated lengths if she had her hands on this kind of data about them. "The captain and I will be discussing that later." She said, hoping their trust in her was well founded.
Nervous glances were exchanged, but FG42 openly glared the Ringleader down. "I say we shoot her here and let the scavengers cash in her corpse." There was pure ice in her voice.
Scarecrow stifled a laugh. "As much as I would love to see you try, I still require your assistance to get close to Juliet."
"We might as well work that out now." Kar98k nodded to MP40, who left to grab a map of the city. "Juliet has converted an old warehouse into her personal citadel, and has no doubt renovated the interior to aid in that."
"The rogue Jaeger has also received some interesting toys from her new friends," Scarecrow explained, "and the entire warehouse is protected from outside interference."
"What kind of interference?" MP40 asked.
"My command protocols and electronic warfare." Scarecrow sounded distraught at being unable to remotely access her own company's property. "I'd like to access that warehouse from the inside, and then assess what Juliet is and whether she should be captured or destroyed."
StG44 scoffed. "She's the enemy, and she's working with the enemy; she should be destroyed."
"I would like to determine the circumstances of her rogue nature," Scarecrow's voice had no hint of annoyance despite the glare she shot at StG44, "and whether or not this isn't the sign of a larger issue."
"Like a rogue Ringleader?" G43 asked.
Scarecrow nodded. "Precisely, which is why I need you to get me past their initial barriers so I may be close enough to her to perform my investigation."
"I have a better idea," Kar98k suggested, "we were allowed access to explore the city ourselves, and we can wander into the front door of that warehouse anytime for an interview with Juliet."
Everyone looked around at each other, no clue as to what Kar98k was suggesting. "A freedom I don't have." Scarecrow crossed her arms as she waited, bemused, for the reveal of the grand plan.
"Not dressed like that you do." Kar98k removed her coat and draped it over Scarecrow's shoulders. "Now you have full freedom of exploration."
Scarecrow stared at her in stupefied disbelief. If she hadn't already put her mask back on, her jaw would have dropped like the rest of the dolls. "You have got to be shitting me." FG42 muttered.
Kar98k and MP40 retreated to the apartment's only bedroom to discuss the current circumstances of the Brigade, leaving Scarecrow alone with the others. While the commanding officers connected on Level II of their Consciousness to talk in private, everyone sat in sheer silence in front of the television. Scarecrow, feeling the tension in the air, made sure to stand off to the side where the Griffin dolls could watch her and the flashing lights. She closed her eyes, analyzing various data while poking around in the unguarded electronic systems through the city. She followed various connections, listened to calls and read messages while she perused for her own entertainment. She avoided obvious honey pots and heavy security zones, wanting to prevent any unnecessary altercations.
The Griffin dolls tried to pretend like the Sangvis Ferri Ringleader wasn't leaning against the wall in the same room as them, every fiber of their being wanting to fight. FG42 frustratedly smacked her knees and stood up. "That's it," she exclaimed, "I'm going to a bar and getting drunk!"
"It's not safe to travel the streets alone." G43 said, wanting to go with her.
FG42 declined the offer for the company. "Better than being here with this bitch." The gunner left, apparently unarmed.
G43 awkwardly sat with StG44, who spent her time glaring straight at Scarecrow instead of the television. The Ringleader opened her eyes, curious about the doll that was leaving. "Where might she be going at this hour?" She asked.
"What does it matter to you?" StG44 responded coldly.
Scarecrow zeroed in on the hostility, unable to resist the urge to push her buttons. "Gathering information is my specialty," Scarecrow replied in turn, "consequently I know a lot about you." She thought for a moment, wondering if she should show her full hand so early.
"And I'm quite familiar with the sound of you screaming and on fire." StG44 scowled, digging her fingers into the couch as she fought against the urge to stand up and throw a punch at the Ringleader. "I could play the audio if you'd like."
StG44 blinked and went stiff for a moment, her neural clouds fire wall collapsing under the immediate assault from Scarecrow. The attack was swift, but felt like an hour as the Ringleader dug through a specific keyword of the dolls memory catalogue. Finding what she was looking for, she slipped out and laughed to herself as she perused the doll's recent internet history. To StG44, the probing attack felt like someone had shoved their hand inside her mind and poked whatever they saw fit. Angry at her violation, she stood and stomped Scarecrow for a fight. G43, who had been watching the exchange in silence until now, gasped as awaited the inevitable fight.
Unfortunately, the fight didn't last long. Scarecrow waited for a punch to be swung at her, grabbing the doll's wrist and spinning her around. With StG44's arm locked behind her, Scarecrow pushed her up against the wall, pinning her in place. "As much as I would love to watch you kill yourself again," Scarecrow hissed, "I am in fact trying to aid you and your Commander. Your cooperation, and lack of hostility, would be very appreciated."
"Touch my neural cloud again," StG44 growled, despite being slammed against the wall, "and I'll tear yours apart."
Scarecrow leaned forward and whispered in her ear, just low enough that G43 couldn't hear. StG44's grew beet red as she released from the hold. Scarecrow stepped back, pleased with herself for embarrassing the doll. StG44 rubbed her wrist and stormed off to the bathroom. "I'm going to sleep." She muttered.
"In the bathroom?" G43 asked.
"I'll sleep in the fucking bathtub!" StG44 slammed the door behind her.
G43 awkwardly sat alone with Scarecrow now, whistling nervously. Scarecrow closed her eyes again, attempting to return to her previous work of scanning through various human computer systems. While she worked, G43 slowly got up and snuck to the bathroom with StG44. Apparently, none of them wanted to be left alone with her, which suited Scarecrow just fine. Just like Sangvis Ferri, she stood alone while the others did their duty. She wouldn't have it any other way.
