Chapter 38: Rear Line Risks
"…Johnny…"
The deathclaw peeked its eye open. Looking through the metal bars and wire mesh, he could see a small figure standing across from him as he slept. The voice, at the very least, was somewhat familiar. Johnny sealed his eye shut as she continued to prattle.
"…Johnny, it's me…" she continued to no avail. "…I know it's you. I couldn't forget that busted horn anywhere, and I've tried."
Johnny began to growl, though he disguised it as a snore. In all the years since those days, not once did he not only expect that these humans would capture him, but that he'd have to listen to her bleating and moaning once more. What he wouldn't give for a nice dirt floor to dig through or at least his kin to enter and rescue him.
"…I have a key."
Johnny shot up and immediately turned to face the little wastrel. "Fucking took you long enough!"
"I KNEW IT!" Ziyi let out a shout, cupping her mouth shut as some of the other beasts began to stir. "Johnny, it… it really is you!"
"…You don't have the key," Johnny hissed.
"We're working on it, I promise!" Ziyi placated.
"We?" Johnny scoffed.
"Myself and Arcade," Ziyi explained.
"Arcade… oh, Not Food #1. Yes, I remember," Johnny snorted. "So, the two of you made babies or what?"
"Wha- No," Ziyi shook her head, indignantly. "Why would you think that?"
"Just as well," Johnny replied. "I'd hope you weren't such a coward about it, unlike last time. "Wah! I mated!" So pathetic."
Ziyi turned away from him. "…Let it go, Ziyi… let it go," she muttered through her humiliation. Expecting Johnny to understand her circumstances from back then was hopeless and attempting to explain them was a sick joke. Ziyi wanted to forget those horrible days, even if it meant…
"Johnny, I'm trying to help!" Ziyi snapped as she turned to look back at the lizard.
"And you're doing a shit job of it, as usual," Johnny snarled.
Ziyi felt herself get heated. "They're going to kill you."
"Fine, let them. I'll be back on my feet and free soon enough," Johnny "grinned."
"…What are you doing here, anyway?" Ziyi finally asked.
"I got jumped by some number of your hunters. They used robots, which is cheating. I'll kill them when you get me out of here, along with anyone who gets in my way. Where am I, anyway?" Johnny finally asked the burning question in his mind.
"…New Vegas," Ziyi answered.
"…How many people?" Johnny asked.
"Doesn't matter, when you leave you will not be coming back," Ziyi shook her head.
"So, lots of humans, then," Johnny began to salivate.
"Johnny," Ziyi growled. "You are going back across the Colorado River, where you belong."
"…Says who?" Johnny shot back.
"The woman trying to get the keys to free you," Ziyi replied, exasperated that this conversation was even happening.
"…Hmm," Johnny thought aloud. "Y'know, I don't think the two of us ever really got along."
Ziyi looked at him. "…Are you serious? Twenty years and only now you're just realizing it?"
"I mean, I understand. I'm pretty much the perfect predator and you, well… the only reason you survived was because I was so perfect," Johnny explained.
"I'd have suggested your humility," Ziyi muttered under her breath. "This is pointless! Just stay here, shut up, and we'll get you out!"
Johnny snorted. "Don't bother. Whether you help me escape or not will make no difference. When I get out, a lot of humans are going to die."
Ziyi looked away. "…Couldn't we just call a truce, like the old days. Just for a night, so you can get out of here."
"If you save me, Weepy, it will be for your sake," Johnny grinned. "Besides, what about you makes you worthy of trust?"
"I'm a SENATOR!" Ziyi screeched, causing even more rustling in the other cages.
"…What the fuck is that?" Johnny asked, picking at his teeth.
"It means that…I'm the alpha of my people," Ziyi explained, deciding this was the best way to "translate" her circumstances to Johnny.
Johnny looked down at her, staring as he knelt to see her at eye level. As the seconds dragged on to a small eternity, a low rumbling began to erupt from Johnny's gut. For most people, there were fewer things less comprehensible than that of a deathclaw undergoing a fit of laughter. The only thing keeping Ziyi's sanity intact was the fact that she had previously seen it before, the memories sinking into her and dredging up the rest of the events twenty or so years ago.
"You?! An Alpha?! HAH!" Johnny cawed as he beat his claws against the barrier. "Now I understand, you just came here to waste my time!"
"I didn't… I just want…" Ziyi began to grit.
"Well, it was fun catching up with you, but I'd rather talk to someone I actually respect. Like Arcade or Veronica…"
"VERONICA IS DEAD!" Ziyi screamed.
The room went quiet. Johnny's laughter came to a stop. The tears Ziyi had been fighting back began to flow. "…This was a mistake," Ziyi turned to leave. "You haven't changed at all. And if you did, somehow you got worse," she hissed.
"…Let me out," Johnny growled.
"Or what?" Ziyi turned back.
"Or I won't try and find you afterward," he threatened. "…She died protecting you, didn't she?"
"…Fuck you, Johnny," Ziyi spat as she stormed away. "I hope our troopers get your children killed!"
"WHAT?!" Johnny screeched as he pounded on the gate. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Ziyi flipped the bird over her shoulder as she sobbed, exiting the holding area. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! ZIYI! ZIIIIIYIIIIIII!"
Andrea exited the shower, fluffing her towel around her hair as she let the steam escape. As much as she wasn't one to praise New Vegas over Shi-Frisco, she had to admit that there were more than a few people who would kill over hot water on the regular, and she may very well become one of those people soon enough. Drying out her hair, she wrapped the towel around her body as she left the bathroom.
Her stay had been prolonged indefinitely. As she looked around her wardrobe for some kind of outfit, Mr. New Vegas continued on with the reports he was receiving from NCRBS. "…indicates that the town of Redding has been evacuated, and is now serving as a staging area for the NCR military as they prepare to face off against the Wild Khans as they encroach further south on their raid through California. Shi-Frisco has issued a series of increasingly unpopular lockdowns and curfews, as acting administrator Vana Burke has implemented further travel restrictions to and from the city. Looks like Senator Ziyi will be staying at Gomorrah for just a little while longer.
In other news, Lionel Johnston has issued a press release reiterating that his fight against the deathclaw is, in fact, to the death. "This isn't a publicity stunt, man, this is the culmination of my life's work! This is everything I've fought for. I! Will be! The first man to defeat a deathclaw PURELY through the Martial Arts! KY-AAAAAA-" Folks, don't mind the static, he just broke our recorder at the end. We here at Radio New Vegas will be sure to bill Blanco for later, who won't have any trouble paying us back as tickets sales for the Thorn have smashed all previous records."
Andrea shut off the radio as she buttoned her blouse up. As much fun as staying at the Tops was, she had a meeting with Senator Ziyi at Gomorrah. A lot of people figured that she was just a celebrity on an extended holiday. They didn't realize that, as a member of the California Intelligence Bureau, she was still working. That's right, all that time sunning herself by the pool and evenings at the blackjack table were just her networking to get closer to the casino bigwigs, particularly the current Bishop Family's underboss, Jake Freeman.
She had recently been on the line with her handler, Flo, who had briefed her on the ongoing situation out east. Apparently, there were various other NCR elements active in the Unclaimed Wastes, which Flo had arranged to gather some intel on. Currently, alongside the Allied Expeditionary Group, there was also the Independent Commando Battalion, led by one Major Dustin Coleridge. Word from NCR Command was that there was an internal debate on whether or not to fold in the special forces team with the broader expedition, seeing as several members of the brass and senate had a lot of political capital riding on Coleridge's success on his mission. That mission; locate and capture the last remaining member of the Enclave on record, Dalton… just Dalton, actually.
The man had something of an eclectic history. Born at the very tail end of the Enclave's reign of terror, he'd scarcely been a toddler when the Oil Rig exploded and the survivors were scattered to the winds. The thought of a toddler losing everything before he had only begun to live made her feel something, even if the Enclave had been a bunch of genocidal fascists with God-complexes. In the years that followed, Dalton had become something of a drifter, a near-nameless wastelander who took caps whenever and however he could get them. That all changed when he fell under the auspices of someone known as the Drifter, who in turn led him to join Caesar's Legion.
From there, details became murky. The Drifter went on to become something of an Elite amongst Caesar's initial ranks, possibly an attempt to help counter units like the Desert Rangers, who had proven to be especially adept at reducing the Legion's manpower. From there, reports would indicate that he had taken most of his fledgling unit to Hopeville, where the last reported sighting of the man had been made. The situation spelled itself out well enough, and that left the Drifter's optio adrift.
Enter the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, following the assassination of Caesar, twin humiliations for the Legion Dalton found his life dedicated to, something that had to assuredly shake his faith in the cause he chose. Following up the rise of the mysterious priestess, Sybil, and Dalton, like many of his contemporaries, chose to break away from the Legion. While most rebels were put to the sword or crucified, Dalton had something the others didn't; knowledge of Enclave safehouse policies, and DNA that could deactivate those safety measures. He armed his maniple with plasma rifles, taught them new small unit tactics, and vanished in the north for the better part of two decades.
The NCR wanted Dalton alive, one last chance at victory over a defeated enemy nearly sixty years ago, given that the only other name on record had effectively and credibly renounced any membership to the organization long ago. But the reason Flo was divulging all of this to Andrea, an agent with no connection to the Dalton mission, was actually fairly simple.
Sixty years ago, a tribal warrior from Arroyo named Narg was directly responsible for the destruction of the Enclave's Oil Rig. Forty-five or so years later, Lars Perez would pillow talk to Agent Florence that Narg was the name of his father, his importance and history having never made it to his son until later in his life. His son, who broke the back of the Legion in Nevada, setting in motion events that would mutate the Legion into something nearly unrecognizable, and once again cutting Dalton out of the only home he ever knew.
Reports indicated that the AEG was passing by territory where Dalton's group, the Legatum Saeva, had been seen. If Dalton, a man whose life was ruined twice by a father and son, discovered that he had a granddaughter of that family near his grasp… Flo strongly suggested at least bringing Lars into the loop, but was shot down by her superiors. She didn't have the clearance. But, if Andrea just so happened to hear a rumor, and just so happened to tell the Governor such a thing, perhaps the AEG would be better prepared to protect her.
Andrea smiled at the notion. Florence had honeypotted the Governor something fierce, at first attempting the drown the man in poon with her girls before realizing that the birth of his daughter did alter the man psychologically. So, Florence offered a domesticated alternative to the Governor, living with the man and helping raise his daughter. Though she would always deny it, Andrea could tell that her handler, despite the breakup, still cared for both of them in ways that extended beyond professional courtesy.
Flo had flat out told her to her face that she'd be wasting her time honeypotting the Governor, seeing as she wasn't his type, what with being around his kid's age and all. So, that left her with plan B, meeting the Governor alongside someone else as a +1.
As she headed out of the lobby of the Tops, she took a moment to watch as Jake Freeman entered the building and began chatting up with the receptionist. "Get your boss, sugar-tits, I'm not talking to the help."
Nonplussed, the receptionist went to dial in her boss. Andrea must have made a face because Jake caught her out of the corner of his eye. "You got a problem, starfucker?"
"Wow, aren't you charming," Andrea sniffed. "What crawled up your ass and died?"
"Piss off, tourist. I'm not interested in anything you have to say, especially if I'm not sleeping with you," Jake scoffed as two Chairmen came down to escort him up. "Bout time you idiots got here. I've no idea why Bing pays any of you sadsacks," he continued as he left with the group.
Annoyed, if not flustered, Andrea left the Tops. As she stepped outside, a female ghoul in a fur overcoat, despite the desert temperature, puffed on a cigar. Looking over to her, the ghoul's eyes lit up in recognition. "Heilong, right?" she wheezed out.
"Oh, a fan?" Andrea's voice considerably perked up.
"Nah, I just want to say you're one lucky duck. That Hemlock, oh," she shuddered in pleasure. "Quite the hunk of man-meat. What I wouldn't give for a roll in the hey with him." She paused as she looked over to Andrea. "…Oh, and you looked good naked too, I guess."
"…Thank you," Andrea replied politely, muttering under her breath about strangling her agent and a few producers as she left. Emma let out a laugh. Jake had been in one of his moods as his girlfriend had run into some snags in the plan. Things had to proceed as they would, not as he wished, she hoped he would understand. On the positive side, the activity near Nellis had allowed some scouts to estimate the time and range it would take for those planes to be active. A good thing to have in mind when the opportunity finally made itself clear, whenever and however that would be.
Ziyi heard the knocks as they kept in rhythm with the throbbing in her head. Nestled into the bed, she could hear last night's companion shifting in the bed, getting out and dressed. Marie was a sweet young thing, but last night Ziyi wasn't in the mood for romance. Last night was about vigor, viciousness, and drinking. For the next few days, Ziyi hoped she wouldn't mind the hickeys dotting her body.
She heard Marie climb down the stairs, opening the door. "Oh, Councilor Gannon!" she called out, causing Ziyi to moan as she buried her face into the pillow.
"Ma'am," Gannon replied, politely.
"Oh, hey Floyd," she continued as she walked past.
"Marie," Floyd replied in kind.
Ziyi heard two pairs of feet climb up the stairs in her suite. Ziyi placed the pillow over her head, pretending to be asleep as the two men stood over her. Growing short on air, Ziyi finally flung the pillow from her head as she flipped her body over to confront them. "What?!"
"I take it our mutual friend was his usual charming self," Arcade stated neutrally as Floyd massaged his eyelids. "Talking fucking deathclaws. Just when you think you've heard everything," the retired commissioner welched.
Ziyi sat up, letting the blanket fall on her lap. "I'm done. I wash my hands of that lizard. You want to get him out, leave me out of it."
"Ziyi," Arcade tried to placate.
"Hear, hear," Floyd rose his hand in agreement.
"Don't start! You weren't even supposed to be involved!" Arcade snapped at his partner.
"It's a talking bio-weapon, Arcade. You're arguing ethics over something created without them," Floyd shot back.
"He understands morality. He doesn't have to be a weapon, right Ziyi?" Arcade turned to the senator.
The senator blew a drunken raspberry fart as she reached over to finish her whiskey. At first, Ziyi had thought time could heal all wounds. Maybe that was true, but seeing Johnny again, listening to his taunts and bullying, put everything in perspective for her. Weapon or not, he was nothing more than a thug and a monster with armor-piercing claws and bullet-proof skin, The wasteland was better off without him.
"…I know the two of you didn't have the best relationship," Arcade tried to begin again. Ziyi let out an ugly laugh as she poured the whiskey down her throat. "But, on some level, we both kind of owe him."
Ziyi spewed out her whiskey. "OWE?! You think we owe Johnny? Johnny?! Do you have any idea what… you know what he's capable of," she hissed as she got on her hands and knees to crawl to Arcade, looking at him from eye level.
"Look, I get it. He's not a pet, and barely a friend," Arcade admitted. "But…"
"Don't you give me that," Ziyi shook her head through gritted teeth.
"Between watching our backs back then, and that whole mess at Fort Tandi…"
Ziyi grabbed the bottle of whiskey and smashed it against the railing. Arcade felt like kicking himself. Floyd just wondered what was going on as he watched Ziyi slowly calm her heaving shoulders, muttering to herself under her breath the number of neighborhoods in Shi-Frisco until she felt steady.
"…My bad," Arcade apologized.
"Yes, it is," Ziyi growled.
"Did I miss something?" Floyd dared to speak up.
"No," Arcade and Ziyi said, simultaneously. Floyd held up his hands and backed away, passively.
"…I get it's a complicated situation, and I fully respect that you might come to different answers than I do. Maybe we should have switched places, and you talked to Blanco while I talked to Johnny."
"If you want to try to free him, I won't stop you," Ziyi scoffed. "One conversation and I'm already sick of the damn thing," she said as she got up from the bed to reach for the robe hanging over the railing.
"I'm thinking a united front would be the best course of action on this," Arcade tried to return to the start of the conversation.
"Then get some WACCo's to help you, hell, they'll gladly let him eat a few of them," Ziyi scoffed as she hung the robe around her shoulders. "I, my good friend, am through with Johnny Guitar."
"Aren't we all," Floyd rolled his eyes.
"Well, gentlemen, I have a long day ahead of me. I'm entertaining a young starlet this evening, and before then I have to discuss some things with Vana. Good day to the both of you."
"I guess we're still on for that meeting in the Lucky 38, tonight?" Arcade replied.
"Of course. You know, circumstances aside, I didn't expect to be woken up today by two gay men," Ziyi mused aloud.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Arcade smiled.
"Bi," Floyd spoke up.
"Yes, a good day to you, Mr. Wilson," Ziyi nodded.
"No, I mean I'm bisexual," Floyd corrected.
Ziyi stared at him, recognized that her robe was hanging open, and immediately snapped it shut. "PERVERT!" she screamed.
Arcade shot a glare at his partner. "Wrong time and place for honesty!"
Floyd shrugged as he backed away from the two. "Sorry, Ms. Senator. I forgot."
"OUT!" Ziyi screamed.
As Floyd Wilson made his retreat, Arcade turned back to Ziyi. "…I won't push the issue with you. I trust you've made up your mind, and I respect your decision."
"…Thank you, Arcade," Ziyi breathed. "…I don't want to see him die, but I can't justify allowing him to live. He's too…"
"Dangerous?" Arcade offered.
"…Much of an asshole," Ziyi finished.
Arcade let out a chuckle. "Well, we've given him two decades of peace and quite a bit of secrecy. You've done more than enough for him, I guess. I'll… figure out something later, I'm sure."
"…Best of luck to you, Arcade," she hugged the Councilor. The Councilor returned the hug. "…Have a good evening, Ziyi."
Arcade left right as Andrea reached the doorway. Exchanging cordial greetings, Andrea entered to see her city's chief representative let out a loud burp and almost stumble down the stairway in her suite. Looking down at the actress, Ziyi let out a little wave. "…Heilong," she began.
"Senator Feng," Andrea nodded, politely.
"…You ever been interested in politics, Heilong?" Ziyi asked.
"…I'm in entertainment, so I'm supposed to say yes, these days," Andrea said.
Ziyi laughed. "I like that. Some of my aides are at the Vegas Council handling some business, and, well, I had a little too much fun last night. Rule one of politics; you scratch my back and I scratch yours! So, I'd really appreciate it if you could help draw me a bath while I make sure I know for a fact which way is up. I know it's asking for a bit much, but…"
"Senator Ziyi, my father has voted for you in the last three elections. He wouldn't forgive me if I didn't help you if I could," Andrea beamed.
"Good girl," Ziyi smiled in a crooked manner. "You know, I wouldn't mind if you wanted to join me, as well."
"Ma'am?" Andrea stalled. An uncomfortable silence passed between the two before Ziyi burst out laughing. "I'm only kidding, Heilong. I wouldn't force you to do anything like that. How crooked do you think I am?"
The two women shared a laugh, even as Ziyi internally seethed that she'd once again blown her chance at bedding Shi-Frisco's most eligible bachelorette once again.
As Andrea went to the bathroom, Ziyi took a moment to look at her feet once she reached the ground floor. …I could really go for some new shoes, she thought to herself. Maybe something like gecko? No, too tacky. What about…
She stopped as she shook her head. This Johnny situation wasn't something she knew how to resolve. Didn't want him to die, didn't want him free, certainly didn't want to see him again. Well, she was here, and he was there. That's all it really amounted to. Ziyi waited until Andrea left the bathroom, walking past the actress as she handed her robe to the girl as a tip. The whole point of living was to enjoy the moments, and what reason did she have to hurry?
Something felt wrong. Estelle and Misty walked through familiar halls, the usual feeling of what had been their home had now changed. Maybe it was something in the air, or how the shadows now felt, but the more they stayed in this coliseum, the less comfortable they felt. They stood aside as three new officials left their meeting with Scorpio, bowing their heads as they felt the leering of some of the new guards. They were the personal harem girls of Legate Barabbas, heir to the throne of Caesar. A pity their new master didn't seem to see fit to honor that notion.
When Scorpio Oklahomus took the reins of Fort Wrath, he went to work undermining a number of Barabbas's personal reforms. Though he faced resistance from the Senate and a number of other factors, he had made clear that he was going to run Fort Wrath as he had the northern territories. The thought sent chills down Estelle's spine. Misty tugged on her arm. "Let's get back to our quarters. Cheslie took May Lin to see Scorpio some time ago, and I don't think I want her to find us next."
"Agreed," Estelle nodded. It was a bit of an odd friendship between the two girls. Misty had been a Liberty Clanner, taken as part of a tribute from her family after having been saved by a merchant cabal. Estelle had been a young priestess in training for the Voodoo Convent until she was sent to Dallas as an ambassador to the Legion as part of a thank you for helping them in their war against the Sons of Dixie. Both women met just before their first consummations with the Legate, and as time had gone on both had become fast friends with one another.
"Well, what do we have here?" A nearby guard noticed the two right as they passed. He was one of the newer ones, a member of the 4th Legion who served directly under Scorpio. Estelle remembered a saying she learned from Sunken Orleans. The fish rots from the head. With Scorpio as an example, it was little surprise so many of his men took after their commander. Kill the men, fuck the women, and sell the children. The unofficial motto of the 4th.
The guard and his partner began tailing the two women as they walked to their quarters. Estelle merely bowed her head, wanting to get to her quarters as soon as possible. Misty, on the other hand, had other ideas.
"Hey, quick question I've been wondering. Who does Scorpio like riding more, that chariot or you dickless wonders?"
"Misty!" Estelle hissed.
"Oh, Puzon, she got a mouth on her. I'd love to put that to work," Crassus grinned as he got between Misty and Estelle, boxing her between himself and her partner.
"What's this? Two of Scorpio's finest ganging up on a defenseless woman? Par for course, I say," she sassed. "Just like you guys to run down people who can't fight back. Battle-hardened? Don't make me laugh! Try waging a campaign against Mexico or Louisiana, not some pissant tribals who were just trying to survive!"
Puzon grabbed Misty by the jaw. "It's my duty to ensure that those under the Legion's banner know their place. It's my privilege to enact such measures against lippy twats such as yourself."
"The Legion's banner? Or Scorpio's?" Estelle finally interjected. Crassus grabbed Estelle by the arm. "You want a little something too, swamp rat?"
"We do not fall under Scorpio's banner. We belong to the Legate Barabbas. We do not recognize your authority, heifer," Estelle taunted.
"…You'll recognize my authority when you're bent over and begging me for more," Crassus hissed as he twisted on Estelle's arm. That was enough for the captain of the coliseum guard to make his presence known.
As the Legion conquered Dallas for its Rome, many of its citizens looked to their new overlords with a sense of suspicion and hesitation. Not everyone, though. Every now and then there were a few locals who would wholeheartedly embrace their new overseers, gleeful to join the new force in a sense of awe and wonder. The coliseum guard captain was one such member.
A veteran of the Swamp Wars, this distinguished warrior had earned no small measure of renown for himself for his service in the 2nd Legion, a group that consisted of local Texans who performed as auxiliaries to the Western-born legionaries. Though not an orthodox legionary, his skills were so notable that Centurion Falco himself recommended he serve as guard captain of the Legate's own home. His ruthlessness and skill had bestowed upon him the title of Sanguinarius Animalis.
"Howdy, folks!" the ten-gallon hat wearing legionary chirped up as he approached the scene.
He preferred to go by Dan.
The two legionaries under Scorpio turned to look at the goofy-looking guard captain. Something about that stupid smile that showed off those few missing teeth did something to make Crassus in particular quite incensed.
"What do you want, hick?" he snarled.
"As guard-captain of the Coliseum, it is my responsibility to oversee the protection of the Coliseum and its members, which include those belonging to Legate Barabbas's harem," the guard-captain recited in his typically cheery intonation. "So, if you will not kindly remove your hands from these ladies, I will have to enforce that you do, physically."
"You think we're ones to listen to the likes of you?" Puzon growled as he reached for his machete.
"This is the third time I've had to stop you guys from harassing the staff. And quite frankly I'm at a bit of my whit's end," he continued as he looked over his "brothers." "I really wish we could all just get along and be friends."
"Friends, huh?" Crassus snickered. "Care to join in the fun, then?"
"Sorry, if I did, Pops would never let me hear the end of it. Or gut me, whichever he was in the mood for," Dan declined.
"Then go pester someone else. I think some of the local children were vandalizing the side of the building, so why don't you make yourself useful andAAUGH!" Crassus winced as the handle of a revolver stuck him in the cheek.
"Now, I may not be the best with the whole swing n' stab, but I can pistol-whip a mu-fukka like no one's business," Dan continued, tone not changing even as Puzon drew out his machete.
"Why, you little-" the threat stopped when a bullet narrowly missed severing Puzon's big toe. Both girls made a break for it, walking past Dan. "Thank you, guard captain," Estelle nodded, bowing to their protector.
"Anytime, ma'am," Dan tipped his hat.
"Thanks, Dan" Misty whispered as she blushed.
"Aww, shucks," Dan kicked his boot as the two ladies put tracks between them. Puzon and Crassus glared at the guard captain.
"Welp, I know it's asking a bit much to tell you folk to rein it in. I don't think your boss and I get along so well," Dan grinned in the friendliest manner he could manage.
"When we take over, we're eviscerating you while you watch," Puzon snarled.
"Well, I hope you don't take over, then!" Dan replied cheerily as he holstered his guns and continued making his rounds.
"…ASSHOLE!" Crassus called out to the guard captain as he shot them both a thumbs up as he passed. The only thing more infuriating than his unrelenting cheeriness was his sickening self-righteousness. Guard-Captain Dan followed his orders to the letter, his commitment making it hard for the men of the 4th to enjoy their spoils of running the Coliseum. They knew Scorpio would back them on this, but they also knew that Bloodthirsty Animal would be backed by Barabbas and Scorpio's own uncle, someone who nakedly favored the outsider over his own blood.
"May a pestilence take him and the dogs refuse to feast on the waste," Crassus swore as he continued with his rounds.
Well, we just have to wait a little longer, brother, Puzon thought to himself. Or so he thought.
In Barabbas's bed-chamber, Sybil sat and meditated. Here, she could hear the thoughts of all within the coliseum's walls. She could hear the relief and quiet celebration of the girls as they safely returned to their chambers. She could hear Cheslie trying to comfort May Lin, justifying her own betrayal of the girl after their night with Scorpio. She could hear the elevator music playing in Dan's head as he made his rounds, oblivious to the extent of the hatred the new guards around had for him. And speaking of these new guards, the same thing could be heard over and over again.
We just have to wait. Scorpio has a plan. We just need to be patient. This will all be ours soon. No more Barabbas. No more Oracle. No more Caesar.
Try as she might, she could not reach out to Scorpio. All she could hear was static. Concerned, though not yet worried, she believed it best that perhaps she stay away from Dallas come tomorrow morning. She would have enough of her own affairs to worry about.
