To be real, nobody likes Philippe at first sight.
His body seems too lanky. His body language often gave off an air of someone who didn't quite fit in - not the rich elite circle of New Greenwich, and not belong to the world of daily tragedy in New Dayton. Philippe didn't have the polished, trained charm or commanding presence that typically defined leaders, nor was he the smartest guy in the room in a conventional sense.
He just got a fire in his eyes. A fire rooted in his humble beginning, his hardship, his survival. A fire of determination. A determination that unpretentiously resonated with people. His life was marked by tough decisions and actions that might not have been morally upright but were necessary for survival. A life of ruthless and sometimes cowardly, as he often chose the path of least resistance or the one that ensured his safety, even if it meant making unpopular decisions.
No matter what, he is always the underdog in all competitions that might take the pity or the respect of others. Hence, when he needs to show his strength, he never goes alone. Philippe talks to the group of Timekeepers before him.
Philippe began, his voice steady despite the underlying urgency, "I am asking for your help to make a show of strength. For those of you who has rotated at New Greenwich, you probably heard about Freddrick Heitheiker's reputation. "
"Yes, he is kind of an outlier, not belonging to New Greenwich isn't it?" Kors, a Timekeeper frequent New Greenwich looks up from his seat surrounding a rugged table littered with maps of the underground from the old day that Philippe just provided them.
"Mr. Heithheiker came from the now defuncted Chicago Council. He wasn't the head of that council at the time, but he was the lone survivor of that council. I heard that it was not the first time he survived a colony's collapse. He was under strict forbidden from the high council to ban him from our council when he came here."
"That is probably why there was the time he drowned in alcohol. But he has sobered up recently." Levi, who replaced Raymond after his hiccup earlier this month input.
"Isn't it just the same behavior of a predator waking up when his prey walking around?" Raymond speaks. "But as your information is not completed, you need his information after all."
"I need to meet with Freddrick, but I can't go alone. He respects power and strength," Philippe agrees. "His support could be crucial, but he needs to see that we are more than just a ragtag group of rebels. He needs to see our unity and our resolve."
Jaeger, a rugged-looking Timekeeper with a scar across his cheek, nodded slowly. "So, you want us to back you up, show him that we're a force to be reckoned with?"
"Exactly," Philippe affirmed. "But we need to be cautious. Freddrick is a shrewd wildcard. He'll be looking for weaknesses, trying to gauge our true strength."
And all of the Timekeeper just stand up boringly signing up for the cause, alongside Raymond:
"If backing you up in front of Freddrick can get us one step closer to that, then so be it."
The readiness to help surprise Philippe - people in New Greenwich would never that readily to dirtying their hands. He smiles as this unexpected show of support slightly takes him aback.
"Sorry, I was shocked as so many of you would agree to go and I should be more clear with my words if only I knew about your readily. But... we only need a few of you - those who work under Raymond specifically. We don't want him to know all of our strengths. I want him to believe that our connection is somewhat limited through previous power dynamics instead of a united front through shared goal."
Kors, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "If you say so. Should we prepare a specific strategy or talking points to handle Freddrick? He's known for being unpredictable."
Philippe considered this for a moment. "We stick to the basics. Show our strength, but don't reveal too much. Let him see our resolve but keep him guessing about our full capabilities. We need him curious, interested, but not fully aware of our plans."
Raymond pushed off from the wall, his eyes hard with resolve. "We'll follow your lead, Philippe. When do we meet Freddrick?"
"Tomorrow at dawn," Philippe replied. "We meet at his mansion. It's time we brought Freddrick Heithecker into the fold, or at least, let him think he's being brought into the inner circle." Philippe started bringing all the information of the estrange tycoon to the table, from his ex-employee to his contracted construction company,... he got more than people can think of.
Hence, just a little bit later, the discarded millionaire and his teams walk steadily underneath the underground complex where Raymond catches Philippe. They softly chat about the security details of Heithecker and what they seen patrolling surround his house. Philippe suddenly worried about how his own fortress could easily be get into.
The team emerges inside the sprawling mansion through a constructed tunnel. They have about 3 minutes to jam and hijack the security system through a jammer and direct access to the control panel right above the tunnel. Philippe would not be that fast, but Jaegar on the other hand. After all, Raymond refers him to become TimeKeeper despite his juvenile record.
"All done!" The handyguy takes down his flashlight and smiles with others.
They had gained access without raising any alarms. The interior of the mansion was opulent, lined with expensive art and intricate designs, just like any other mansion of New Greenwich. After all, Philippe adorned himself with art that his secretary, his aids, and his colleagues valued. Philippe holding up the map of the current security deployment that they just gained from the control panel while others try to protect him in the middle with their gun.
Their target was Freddrick's private study, where they anticipated finding him. The door to the study creaked open, and they found Freddrick, as expected, immersed in his work. His surprise at seeing Philippe and the Timekeepers was evident, but he quickly masked it with a composed demeanor.
"Philippe Weiss," Freddrick greeted, his voice laced with wariness, a wariness of a person whose house got broke into in the middle of the dawn. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
"Your cooperation. Your information regarding previous collapses."
Heitheiker's friendly smile turns into a smile of a shark.
"Did I hear it correctly? You, of all people, want to keep this revolution going on? This is very out of character for Mister I-Rather-The-Safer-Option. But no one needs this dangerous information, no one revealed this kind of information without a price."
Philippe met Freddrick's sharp gaze with an unwavering stare, understanding the dangerous game they were about to play. "I'm aware of the risks, Freddrick. But the stakes have changed."
"The stakes - which is your bounty? How much it is today? Fifty thousand years when Keeper is already out, why it could not follow your chip and get you? Unless - you have been able to take the chip out without dying."
Philippe maintained his composure, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, Freddrick had gotten hooked on his secret bait, such a temptation for immortality. "The bounty is irrelevant. What matters is the bigger picture. The world is changing, Freddrick. We can either shape it or be crushed by it."
Freddrick leaned forward, his interest clearly piqued. "And you think you can shape this new world? With what? Your ragtag team of rebels? Doing what? Cutting the Keeper's spider legs off and then they sent a bigger faster smarter robot to hunt on our sorry asses because you want to play it differently for one?"
"It is a wonder for me too. How can you hide from the Machines with that many Colony collapsing behind you? Your state-of-the-art security is dismantled by a rag-tag team with not much plan and mostly brawl and ideal." Philippe loads his gun and points at Freddrick's head, still smiling. "Your cooperation and intels are greatly welcome."
Freddrick's composure faltered slightly under the hot gun, but he quickly regained his cool demeanor. "You're more daring than I gave you credit for, Weis. But threats aren't the best way to start a partnership."
Philippe coos softly. "This isn't a threat, Freddrick. It's a demonstration of our seriousness. We need your information, and we're willing to go to great lengths to get it. And don't you want to know how we can storm right under your skin like this?"
Freddrick stands up. "You would not shoot me." Philippe nods his head and points his gun away.
"Thank you for valuing my life then, Mr. Head of the Council, oh I am sorry, with your bounty like that, Michael probably has performed a hostile takeover when you were in hiding. His fixation on you is well known, and somewhat jealous on across the councils I have been on."
Philippe's expression remained stoic despite how scared he is inside. The mention of Michael's obsession with him wasn't new, but the extent of it, spreading across various councils, was more alarming than he had anticipated.
"Indeed. Michael's movements are of no concern to me right now. Let's focus on what's important. You have information that we need, Freddrick. Information about the Keeper Machines and their deployment."
"You would not let it rest then." Philippe shakes his head. Freddrick, settled back into his chair. "Fine, I will give you your information. But let's not forget me. You're asking for highly sensitive information. Information that comes with its own set of risks."
Philippe contemplated briefly before responding. "Your safety will be ensured with our assessment of your security system. For anything else, we'll discuss that after I've heard what you have to say."
Freddrick's eyes narrowed as he assessed Philippe. "Fine. Let's start with the Keeper Machines. The first wave, as you've seen, are just the scouts. They're designed to assess and report back. It's the subsequent waves that are the real threat. They're more sophisticated, more lethal."
He moves towards a safe hidden behind a painting. He retrieved a series of documents and handed them to Philippe. "Here's everything I know about the Keeper Machines. Their deployment strategies, potential weaknesses, everything." Freddrick's eyes lingering a little bit too close on Philippe's not yet healed slice on the wrist
Philippe quickly skimmed through the documents, his mind racing with the possibilities. "This is invaluable, Freddrick. Thank you." Freddrick gives a half-smile. "Just remember our deal, Weis. I expect you to hold up your end."
But of course, his wound as a selfish self-serving fellow wealthy man was too prominent to Freddrick's taste. Philippe decides that it is a great time to send some more mix-signal to Freddrick.
"Of course, Freddrick. I haven't forgotten our agreement," Philippe responds, subtly emphasizing his wrist by adjusting his sleeve. The gesture is deliberate, drawing even more attention to the wound, and reinforcing the image of a man who takes drastic actions.
Freddrick's eyes immediately follow the movement, and his half-smile morphs into a more calculating expression. "Impressive commitment, Weis. Removing your own chip? That's quite a risk."
Philippe shrugged nonchalantly. "Sometimes, you have to risk it all to gain something worthwhile. Desperation can drive a man to extreme lengths."Philippe maintained his carefully constructed persona of impulsiveness and committed revolution. Freddrick's underestimating him could be advantageous in their future interactions.