man your battle stations, we'll have you dead pretty soon

[tadeadshi]

[Panic had run straight through his core when he knew someone had found their safe house. It'd been the best one yet, they had managed to stay there for months now, but it really was too good to last. They still had so much to find and clean up, he wasn't ready. He grabs his bag, the one he kept packed for if they had to run fast, and made for the door but stopped just outside.

It was them. It was the Six, they'd found him and Callaghan. He's not sure how, Callaghan's mods to his collar had jammed their trackers so... It must be something else they used. But if they're here then they could help. They could take over this mess, and he could go home.

Maybe.

Tadashi's throat's gone dry with the dirt and dust kicked up from their landing and scuffle with Callaghan off to the side and he stands watching, swallowing the lump in his throat. Callaghan, that's right, he-- He'd done so much to get them out, he couldn't let the guy just be taken back to prison, he'd be killed from the inside --

He makes a run towards the group, waving and trying to call out but any sound he makes drowned by the shouting.]

Comments

[pushtheboundaries]

[he's not foreign to the idea of a handler; Yama kept one on him, for a while, and he was constantly aware of being watched. it's part of the reason why he went so deeply in to the persona; he couldn't afford to show mercy, weakness. any sort of little thing that would betray him as being anything but devoted to Yama's word...

but he nods. he can work with this, and it gives Hiro some small false sense of innocent to cling to.]

I'm best at working 'alone', anyway. [or, at least, when he doesn't have to worry about anyone's back other than his own.] Let's get started.

[microbrobotics]

[ Whatever small measure of innocence he can claim at this point. He's already complicit at this point, so really, what does it matter? ]

Come on. We've got a long way to walk.

[pushtheboundaries]

[the little things matter quite a lot, Callaghan has learned. the white lies that are told to keep you sane, at least until you can confront the truth...he follows obediently, silent for a while, because really, what is there to say?

still, it's not long before he speaks up again;]

I have two more questions. [a pause to ensure that he's got Hiro's attention, and then-] Am I still 'Yokai'?

[this is hardly the outfit people are used to associating with that name, and there's hardly any sort of identity to protect - everyone knows that Yokai was once a respected Professor, at least if they bothered to do any sort of digging. but at the same time, the entire persona...it's been crafted to incite the sort of fear that a respected Professor never could.

people see the mask, and they run; you run from the Yokai, and you don't get hurt.

he has a mask now, but it's not nearly the same.]

[microbrobotics]

[ He walks in silence for a moment, thinking. It's a legitimate question, even beyond all of that baggage; he doesn't exactly plan to refer to him as Callaghan in the middle of a fight.

But ... Yokai worked for Yama. Yokai would draw their attention, make the connection to Tadashi even more clear. He can't risk it, not even a little bit. He shakes his head. ]

Yokai left with Tadashi Hamada. He can't return like this. They could figure it out.

[pushtheboundaries]

Most already know he's slipped Yama's leash. ['most'. not all; Yama, of course, knows. Yama's men know. the rest of the world...well, Yokai's targets have changed a bit, for all they know he's still the same old villain.] But if I'm not him, then who am I?

[not Callaghan. Callaghan is...well. Robert Callaghan is, arguably, long gone; lost to the sands and seas of time. maybe someday he can wear his name again with pride, but until then...]

[microbrobotics]

[ Callaghan makes a good point. With all the cleanup work he and Tadashi had been doing ... One opens his mouth, almost relenting. ]

Never was good at names. [ Just look at their naming pattern. Not exactly creative. Though, that gives him an idea ... ] ... Yurei will work. [ He mentally switches the "rei" over to "zero" in his mind, since that's an alternate reading for that syllable, and he expects Callaghan to make that connection as well. ]

[pushtheboundaries]

...Yurei. It fits.

[it gives him an odd sensation, as well, at least when he gives it another moment of thought; rei, indeed. a subtle inclusion, perhaps, and it almost makes him regret his next question.

but there is a whisper of paranoia that lingers with him, spawned from his time with Yama, and he has tried so hard to ignore it as of late. still it lingers, still it warns, still it insists that he is not trusted. he understands that Hiro would have killed him by now if that was his goal, and he certainly wouldn't have done all this to just throw him away, which means that there is only one other way to go;]

So. What's your way of reigning 'Yurei' in?

[microbrobotics]

[ He stops at that. His expression blank even behind the mask, body language fully neutral. A stance he's mastered since taking up the role of a faceless hero; he's damn good at switching over to "creepy statue" at the drop of a hat. ]

Why?

[pushtheboundaries]

[nailed it.

'Yurei' takes a few more steps forwards, then stops as well, half-turning to glance over his shoulder.]

I want to know the difference between a malfunction and something I did. That's all.

[microbrobotics]

[ Oh. Ugh, that's ... even with his lingering hatred of Callaghan for getting his brother into this, even with all the mistrust still between them ... Like hell he'd stoop that low. He just shakes his head, once, a faint tilt to either side. ]

Don't need it.

[pushtheboundaries]

[don't even test him, Hiro. there's the slightest of lipcurls, not that it can be seen very well.]

You have to have some kind of shutdown or override. What's my clue, H-One?

[microbrobotics]

[ One just turns, sharply, putting his small body right in Callaghan's path. Clearly in no mood for bullshit either. ]

None. You don't have one. Believe me or don't - we've got work to do.

[pushtheboundaries]

[this...

this does't make any sense. Callaghan's body language suggests bafflement; he doesn't seem able to understand that. and really, he can't; how can Hiro craft him this, spend all this time and effort, and not have some sort of safeguard?]

...you do have a GPS tracker on this, right?

[that's not necessarily a matter of reigning in. that's just- that's common sense. at least more common sense than having a way to shut him down...]

[microbrobotics]

[ He rolls his shoulders, head tilting to one side. A masked eyeroll. What does Callaghan think he is, stupid? ]

Of course. Every suit I make has one. Same with everyone else on the team.

[pushtheboundaries]

[CONSIDERING YOU DON'T HAVE THAT /LEASH/ FOR HIM, POSSIBLY.

but he can only make that attempt at rubbing his head again, get blocked by the helmet, and then settle for a vague dismissive gesture]

...Just making sure you hadn't lost your head.

[he doesn't understand why Hiro is trusting him this far, but...maybe he doesn't. maybe he's just not telling him. maybe, maybe...

...maybe he just needs to put that aside and focus on the task at hand. this is going to be a long night.]

[microbrobotics]

[ It suuuure is. One waits for a moment to see if Callaghan has anything else to say, then he turns to start walking again. If that's all. ]

Focus, professor. I've been doing this longer than you.

[pushtheboundaries]

[it's mostly all, but then One speaks again. 'Yurei' can only do his own eyeroll at that, and speak after another moment;]

Not this. I think I may have the advantage here.

[microbrobotics]

[ A soft huff. Almost a laugh, made strange by the modulator. ]

Fine. Let's get this over with.

[ It's not much farther to the first base of operations, anyway. ]

[pushtheboundaries]

[get it over with. whether Yokai or now, well, Yurei, Callaghan hasn't ever enjoyed this sort of thing. there's been the rush of adrenaline, perhaps a satisfaction of a job done, but he's never been the sort to draw things out unless wasting time is part of the plan. here, though, he displays to Hiro one of his own changes over these two years;

how coldly, utterly efficient he can be. it began to show in those original fights against the masked man, but now-now he's all but silent, not a single word more than necessary slipping from his lips. when he does speak, it's three or less at a time; he's more poised to watch, listen, and then strike.

and not a single motion is wasted.

Yokai forced his way to one of Yama's top men. he demanded rank, and fought to keep it, eliminating any threats that would have made his life difficult- one way or another. he did his best to arrange things so that he wasn't out in the field very often, but when he was, he cultivated a reputation for ruthless expertise, and it's not hard to bring that back in to play.

the first kill is easy- they never see him coming. he asks if One wants them to be displayed as a warning, then moves on. the second's a bit harder, but his blood's warmed up, and the fight is quick.

it's moving for the third of the night that he hits a hitch. crouched in some rafters, staring down at a group of men gambling amongst the crates...this is going to be tricky, and he tilts his head as he considers strategy.]

[microbrobotics]

[ It's kind of terrifying, if Hiro's being honest with himself; he has a split second of doubt, seeing what he's wrought. It's a different man killing these thugs, different from the man who helped them clean out the rest of the mafia's tech. And now there's no doubt in Hiro's mind that he's guilty for the deaths of these men. He was the one who set Yurei on them.

He nods his assent to Callaghan's question - moves on. Pays no attention to the blood already staining his boots. He keeps up with Cal easily, not striking a blow but - he's close. In case Yurei needs backup from One. And so that the last thing these bastards see is his cold, hard mask. When he feels his resolve wavering, he mentally queues up an image of what he saw in those tapes. His brother, head being thrust down and forward to -

They deserve it. They completely deserve it.

And now they've hit a hitch: a group of men, not all of them guilty. Hiro refuses to kill anyone who didn't touch his brother. That's his line and he won't cross it. Quietly, over their comm: ]

You get the target, I'll take the other four. Kill him in front of the others. We'll leave the rest tied up.

[pushtheboundaries]

[Callaghan found it disgusting- and more so how numb he let himself get to it. Tadashi had an excuse - it was coping - but him...there's always the whisper of how he should have fought more, he should have done more, he shouldn't have ever considered it...

...

he may be taking too much personal satisfaction in this. but he doesn't let it interfere. where Hiro finds the blood repulsive, he finds it almost baptizing, mixing with the own stained upon his and perhaps not making him cleansome absolution. some sort of peace.

and something is always better than nothing.

he tilts his head the other way of acknowledgement of the order command direction, then nods, moving 'up' in to a crouch. but only so that he can move a bit more along the rafters, getting in to position to then pull out some thin line. it's strong, more than capable of supporting his weight, and he secures it along the supports before looking back up towards One.

he holds up three fingers, then brings one down. then the next.

and then drops, a soft whirring the only warning- and it's just enough to catch the attention of one of the men, who just manages to yelp in surprise as Yurei lands on the shoulders of his target with a sickening thwack.

even with the line to control his fall, it's a bit harder than he expected, but it goes without saying that he's better off than the one underneath him]

[microbrobotics]

[ Probably an immediate broken spine, if not a broken neck; he could be dead already. Hiro doesn't let himself think about it too hard. He gave the order command direction, so now he has to live with it.

He drops down behind the other, the springs in his exosuit - lighter than his full suit, but still built to cushion a fall - take the brunt of the force. And then, before the rest of the group has recovered, he snaps out his arm. The circuits on his suite glow a faint red as electricity pulses from the battery on the back, through to the glove and into his target. He drops like a stone. The next one is turning, but Hiro's already moving with a second charge. He drops too.

That leaves ... two more, who are moving to fight now that the initial shock is wearing off. The first one gets a vicious kick in the knees - there's the distinct sound of his kneecap shattering - while the other one gets behind One. An arm goes around his neck as he gets hauled back hard. Ugh. His circuits flare up again, but it's going to take a moment to build up the charge. ]

[pushtheboundaries]

[whether or not the man is dead, Yurei plans to be sure; a flick of the wrist, and a knife has shot out in to hand. he moves in for the kill, hoisting the body before himself like a shield and dragging blade harshly across the neck.

more blood. a quick death, if he isn't already dead, but it's more than he deserves either way. Yurei sees the two fall, and immediately sights the other two as remaining targets- he tosses the twitching mass of man at the one writhing on the ground, then spins for the last, too slow-

-another flick of the wrist, and the knife ejects from his grip. the HUD assists with aiming, but it's a bit bigger than the ones he's used to throwing. even so, One's armor should protect him if his aim is off...

...he thinks.]

[microbrobotics]

[ It's relatively thin compared to his usual armor, but enough to turn a blade. Good thing too, because it definitely nicks his shoulderplates on its way into the thug's shoulder. He cries out in pain and loosens his grip on One - who's fully charged up now, so he turns and knocks him out as well. The circuits hiss with heat from having been used three times in short succession; he won't be able to knock out the fourth guy. But honestly that won't be an issue. He's already cowering and pain and fear.

One steps over the unconscious bodies, towards the kneecapped thug. ]

Make a sound and you're dead.

[ And then, turning back towards Yurei. Rolls his shoulder where the armor now sports a large scratch. ]

Nice shot.

[pushtheboundaries]

[considering he was aiming for the man's face, Yurei can't help the twinge of disappointment. but mission complete, and he casts a brief look towards the man struggling with the body before moving to retrieve the blade. by the time One speaks, he's cleaned it on the unconsciousness form, and is looking from armored figure to whimpering mess with what could be curiously.

and then he points the blade at the survivor. the message is clear; him, too?

what's not clear is how much of that is for show, and how much of him is caught up in his own persona.]