[attr="class","beck"]"cross."

it's a name that brings back bitter memories; he quickly suppresses them, accepting the file with silent gratitude. he's already familiar but he skims through it regardless, perhaps to pass the time.

"right. we need access to their tunnels. seems easy enough, don't you think?"

closing the file, he extends it back over and watches it transform back into an earring.

"you can take lead."

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross

[attr="class","beck"]conditioning runs deep in both of them. beckett nods, agreeing with words said to him countless times.

"best not to let it be used against us either. we need them on our side."

well, need is a strong word; it'd simply make their upcoming invasion that much easier.

"you comfortable to do the talking?"

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross

[attr="class","beck"]"hm?"

this isn't what he meant when he said talking; the beckett of the past would've brushed the question off and shut the conversation down.

the beckett of the present, however:

"if you mean kanto..."

after a pause, he continues.

"unfinished business."

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross

[attr="class","beck"]the tense is involuntary, as is the movement to reach for a cigarette.

a drag, an exhale:

"love, cross."

it should hurt but it doesn't.

"turns out some of us just aren't meant for it."

to love — to be loved.

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross

[attr="class","beck"]whatever question cross has might forever be left unsaid, never to be asked, never to be answered.

if only.

"they're here."

beckett's posture straightens, tenses as a group of men approach: three total. the one in front approaches, speaking with a rough voice fit for a criminal.

"you the sorry bunch we supposed to meet?"

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross

[attr="class","beck"]at the appearance of the huge wooden box, beckett steps forward and takes his time with inspecting the goods, allowing jayden a moment to have a conversation with the leader, though he listens in all the same.

which is why it's only natural for him to question:

"how has the league fucked you over?"

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross

[attr="class","beck"]"hm."

curious, but not entirely unexpected. it seemed as though there were more and more who grew tired of the league.

it only worked in their favor.

once they left, theo turned to jayden.

"i imagine there are more like them out there."

what was implied was left to jayden to pick up on.

"we're done here."

[attr="class","noodles"]jayden cross