[attr="class","icon"]

Though she still has a degree of falsehood to maintain around certain parties, leaving Fortree proved to be the breath of fresh air she needed. Like holding her breath for too long, the PD had stifled her. Now, a knot of tension had come loose because she no longer had to pretend at every minute of the day. There’s a degree of guilt from keeping the darker truth of who she is from Shinra Moro, and even CALLISTA MOON.[break][break]

But at least under Theo’s tutelage, there’s no pretense. He knows exactly what she is capable of, and expects performance from her. When summoned at his call, she actually feels far more useful than she ever did in trying to subtly extract information from the league’s police force.[break][break]

For now, she’s in Sootopolis. She hasn’t decided yet if that’s where she’ll stay, but her concern is being able to accompany the underboss when he summons.[break][break]

It is more comfortable– familiar, to slink along in his shadow. But for now, she takes quick strides to walk alongside him instead. Her brow furrows. “Resources?”

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

his arcanine strides ahead, sniffing the air every now and then as if to acclimate to the different smells of the city.[break][break]

"true. mossdeep does have resources we need."[break][break]

that's one reason.[break][break]

"what else?"[break][break]

he spares a gesture up at the space center, guiding her to an answer right there.

[attr="class","bottom"]blue murtagh[break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

While his arcanine takes the lead, her own nidoking prefers to cover their backs. Lumbering behind them, he provides a bulky shield with his tough-skinned body. "Do we not have these resources already?" It's a genuine question. She only takes orders, and isn't relegated to number checking supplies.[break][break]

She follows his glance, eyes traveling slowly up the sharp incline of the building. "You want control of the space center." Presumably for travel reasons.[break][break]

She'll pass on going to the moon though. "That's not the bunker, right?" Or is it under the space center itself?

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"we do but it never hurts to have more. an abundance of resources puts us in a good position for the eventual war."[break][break]

it makes it that much easier to weather through it all. to toughen it out and outlast the other side. attrition can never be overlooked.[break][break]

"correct. the space center allows us access to their equipment and research."[break][break]

he nods, then shakes his head.[break][break]

"it is not the bunker, no, but i wonder if they have one of their own."

[attr="class","bottom"]blue murtagh[break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

She remains silent as he explains, frowning slightly at the suggestion of the eventual war. Is it that inevitable? Maybe she should live under a rock just a little less.[break][break]

Though maybe that’s what these bunkers are for in the first place. Not just for general refuge, but to recoup from all out combat. The thought makes something uneasy twist in her gut.[break][break]

Where does she want to be when it all breaks loose?[break][break]

Dispelling the idea, she lets her attention wander back to the underboss as he resumes. “Do we have no connections there, already?” Moles, like the one she failed to be.[break][break]

“It would make sense…” she mutters, mostly reasoning to herself. “To protect files and things.”

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

do team rocket have moles in the space center? the answer is left vague if only because he doesn't fully trust that kind of information with blue just yet.[break][break]

"not enough."[break][break]

and yes, most likely is a bunker in the space center. if so, it had been wisely left out of the blueprints of its architecture.[break][break]

"the first location is ahead."[break][break]

he raises a hand to stop their approach before moving them slightly off the path. in the near distance is a row of residential houses, each one likely with basements in them.

[attr="class","bottom"]blue murtagh[break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

“Hm.” She doesn’t blame him for the vagueness.[break][break]

She’s a veritable nobody within the organization. Someone sent to fulfill whatever order comes down the pipeline from him. There’s no rank backing her to warrant much detail. This is accepted and shrugged off as soon as the clipped words are out.[break][break]

She can put it together, though, that there’s a degree of yes, though maybe not at the level required to be of use in this.[break][break]

Her eyes flit over the houses, carefully evaluating them, though there’s not much differentiation in their structures.[break][break]

“Is it inhabited currently?”

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"yes, by a fisherman."[break][break]

it's likely the only time theo will ever feel conflicted on a mission. he hides it well enough behind the stoic demeanor most have come to expect from the underboss.[break][break]

"his name is bill. forty-five. single."[break][break]

he'd done his research.[break][break]

"we'll just be scouting today."[break][break]

observing and learning.

[attr="class","bottom"]blue murtagh[break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

“A fisherman..Interesting.” Her brow furrows and she pauses. “A civilian?”[break][break]

She doesn’t know if providing his general information is meant to make her feel better or worse about the whole thing. Either way, she swallows it down. Her expression remains steely, fixed in its typically disgruntled form.[break][break]

Maybe it’s better that he’s alone. No family.[break][break]

What about the athlete? Were they alone? Did they—[break][break]

No.[break][break]

Blue nods. “His habits, then.” Comings. Goings.

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"a civilian."[break][break]

he says as though it makes a difference when it doesn't. civilian, officer, they all fall under the same umbrella as those standing in their way to success.[break][break]

"we'll set up in the cafe across the road from him and watch, much like you have before, i imagine, with your stake-outs."[break][break]

the doors to the cafe are pushed open before he settles into one of the booths by the window. it's empty apart from one or two other patrons, so they are allowed their privacy.[break][break]

"coffee or tea?"

[attr="class","bottom"]blue murtagh[break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

A civilian.[break][break]

Her expression remains unchanged. Hard and neutral. But something uneasy twists and writes in her stomach like a pit of agitated ekans.[break][break]

“Yes…I am familiar with the process, sure.” Her nidoking is recalled and traded out for a houndour that lays on her feet once she slides into the booth opposite of him. Watchful.[break][break]

Slumping against the back of the tall booth, her head tilts to look at the clear view of the place from the window. “Coffee.”[break][break]

Rose eyes move back to Theo. “How does interfering with un-involved civilians assist your goal of peace?” It’s a curious question, though perhaps comes out judgemental per her typical tone.[break][break]

“The ends justify the means or some shit?”

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

a pot of coffee finds their way to their table along with two mugs. he pours them their drinks.[break][break]

"the ends justify the means."[break][break]

he nods, echoing.[break][break]

"unfortunately, some simply are in possession of resources we need. like bill, for example. while he has done no wrong, at least not to us, his bunker will prove useful."

[attr="class","bottom"]blue murtagh[break]
lockbox: scout[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

She takes the offered mug of coffee with a quiet nod of thanks.[break][break]

Then proceeds to dump sugar and creamer packets into the dark liquid.[break][break]

Her stare returned to look out the window again, at the house with its apparent bunker.[break][break]

"It seems like a flawed process," she comments before sipping from her cup. She can't explain it. Her willingness to speak her mind around him without any bite. The flare up of her curiosity being allowed to flourish without her quashing it.[break][break]

Maybe it's because up to this point, at least, Theo has humored her questions. It hasn't stopped her from following orders as of yet. But isn't it a double standard to destroy simple peacefulness in the act of acquiring peace? Even mundane lives have their place, she thinks.[break][break]

When did bunkers become so prized that fishermen became expendable as a result?

[attr="class","bottom"]THEO BECKETT [break]
lockbox: scout[break]