[closed] Like a spreading disease

[hellrisen02]

WHO: "Father" Maxwell/Shinigami hellrisen02, M/Midnighter heliophilic
WHERE: A gang hideout in Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Monday morning, July 10th, 2 AM.
WHAT: This: Midnighter helps Duo steal guns from organized crime.
WARNINGS: Possible language, probable violence.


[Duo had helped with volunteer services in the Maurtia Falls orphanage that Sunday specifically to be positioned for this plan, and was already there a good hour before the meeting time. Of course, when M showed up, he would be cloaked to him- okay, so maybe he got a little bit of a kick out of surprising people when he suddenly showed up out of nowhere. But it almost never got him shot.]

[Picking a neutral meeting ground nearby the actual target was something of a safeguard, but they would also have to lay out all the information even before they got started. Once they went in, this had to be a clean operation; Duo didn't have room, caught as he was between Constellation scrutiny and the risks of the nanites calling out his vigilantism- to mess up. He would have to consider the possibility of leaving M in the dust if things went south.]

[Well, he was no stranger to suicide missions with a low chance of survival. Time to squeak through on another high risk gamble.]

Comments

[heliophilic]

[A golden rectangle suddenly appears in the alley about a half hour before the meeting time, and M steps out dressed in his work clothes of leather and carbon fiber. He glances around the alley, and his eyes stop where Duo has hidden himself.]

I see I'm not the only one who thought to come early. You ready, or are we going to keep playing hide and seek?

[hellrisen02]

[There's a muttering that cuts in abruptly from the spot M addresses, like it's a radio that had been muted and suddenly unmuted mid-statement--]

--ullshit ass ZERO powers.

[And all at once Duo flickers into view, perched sitting atop a stack of crates in the alleyway, head leaned against brick. The black cowboy hat atop his head cast a shadow from the streetlight over his face, but his glinting smirk caught the light anyway over the clerical collar peeking out of his leather jacket.]

Evenin'! [He chirps cheerfully, raising one hand in a half-assed salute.] Ready to earn your good karma? [He hops down from his perch, dusting his pants off and pulling out his comm. There's some rapidfire typing, unlocking security and accessing his goodies.] First, the intel- stop me if you've heard any of this before- this is who we're after. [He hands the comm over for M to read, and crosses his arms over his chest.] The typical. Drugs, extortion, yadda yadda... Anyway, the part that matters is that they're on my turf, and I don't play well with other shady characters, yanno? So that needs to change.

[His confident, easygoing expression gives nothing of his ulterior motive away offhand- the acquisition of this group's weapons stockpile.]

[heliophilic]

[He smirks, taking great joy in ruining Duo's surprise.]

ZERO. That what they call it back home?

[M tilts his head for better access to the information on Duo's comm, nodding as he talks. It all seems straightforward.

Too straightforward.]

You gonna tell me the full reason we're doing this, or are we just going to continue to pretend that this is it?

[hellrisen02]

[WHAT A JERK, a reasonable response might be, if Duo wasn't so much of one himself. He liked to be honest with himself about the things that didn't matter. Tsking quietly, Duo rolls his eyes, but he's grinning.] That's right. A monster of a machine, just like yours. --Well. Maybe not just like it. I suppose I can't rightly say. [He considers, since M's was probably not originally designed from the AI of a pet cat. Just a hunch.]

[In any case, his smile doesn't change much as he's called out. Maybe even grows the slightest bit more pleased. He liked to work with competent thinkers.] Sure.

I'm not a very good God of Death without a scythe or two. [He twists his wrist with a pop, the barcode softly aglow in the low-light.] And this place makes it awfully hard to do my job while I avoid the government's bullshit.

Think of it as killing two birds with one stone-- if you'll pardon the pun.

[heliophilic]

[Eeeeeeeeeeeeeh, given Henry Bendix's level of crazy, it might have been.]

See, was that so hard? [He smirks, then puts on his cowl.] And here I thought you were just a mild-mannered priest.

[hellrisen02]

Aaahh, I got it, I got it. [Duo waves his hand dismissively, still grinning] Look buddy, this place is enough to give anyone trust issues. Can you blame me?

[He tucks away his comm again, taking a quick glance into the street. Well. If M had predictive abilities, he could probably count on him to watch both their backs; he can safely rely on his own powers for the rest. He starts slinking out towards the actual targeted building, hands in his pockets.]

What made you think that? [He smiles back, eyes snapping with humor] The deep-seated mistrust of the government or that I've done this before?

[heliophilic]

Not at all. I just wanted to see how honest you'd be with me.

[M runs his hand under his coat. He knows all of his weapons are right where they should be, but touching them never stops being satisfying.]

All of the above. [He smirks.] Are we going to stand here, or are we going to crack skulls?

[hellrisen02]

Not much use hiding things from you, is it? [He gestures vaguely towards him.] With that system.

[Duo walks with silent steps down the sidewalks, assuming M would follow after him either in the open or over rooftops if he preferred the cape style of doing things. Thanks to his powers, his voice is muted so only M can hear him; he can call back to him as openly as he likes.] As far as what you were interested in when we spoke before... How much have you heard about what they call, I guess, the original wave of imPorts?

[heliophilic]

Nope. [A smirk.] And yet people try all the time.

[Despite the flashy work clothes, M is more than content to walk down the street in step with Duo.] Almost nothing. The survivors of that place barely talk about it.

[hellrisen02]

Guess habits are hard to break. [Didn't he ever know about that.]

[Duo inclines his head slightly in agreement; of all the fellow Cityzens he'd spoken to, that was definitely that common thread. Had been, even before they left.] That place. [He begins, pausing thoughtfully as if considering how to word his reply.] Changes people.