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Post by Rowan on Jul 27, 2021 17:50:37 GMT -8
He blinked. Twice. Lucas wasn't going to push? Rowan had half expected him to.
"Right, sure. But for real though. Why do you care about the cartel? Like, Fawkes' motley is still around to deal with that and so is Loki." He was curious now.
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Jul 27, 2021 18:30:13 GMT -8
Lucas was about to rise to his feet however Rowan's questions caused him to pause. He reached up to rub his eyes with the heel of his hands to see if he could shake out any more energy.
"We had two Sunbanishers: One who was connected with the police and the other who was connected with the Cartel. In Vegas, both police and criminal organizations have a lot of pull. If something goes down even on the supernatural side it's going to catch their attention. Like a dead body. Depending on where the dead body pops up either the police or a criminal organization is going to come across it first.
One example of why understanding the cartel is important is because if we know what territory belongs to them, that let's us know if we are free to proceed in a clean up investigation or if we need to check in with them first. If we have an understanding of the cartel, it's structure, and their influence in the city, Loki and co are more likely to let us take a look then if we shrug our shoulders and say "I dunno. You guys sell drugs, right?" Because there will be non cartel related incidents that happen in cartel territories.
If we do meet someone from the cartel who is froggy during a cleanup, it's not like we can be like "wait up" and put Eurydice on speed dial. We will have to handle it. Same if we come across a body in enemy territory. We don't want to rock the boat and escalate conflict that makes it more difficult for us to travel freely and discreetly, etc. "
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Post by Krakenbox on Jul 27, 2021 19:07:21 GMT -8
Lucas' concerns would largely lie in a political ecosystem. Though Loki would likely not protest allies of the Freehold keeping the veil of the supernatural stable and secure, one has to be aware of navigating resources. Cleanup and disposal of biohazards, as well as moving evidence and vehicles would require understanding who to talk to and having enough rapport where spells would only come up in emergencies would keep the stack of secrecy from becoming overburdened in continued lies over the years.
Knowing gang territory, who is a notorious nark, and who knows how to keep their head down versus another that would sell your activity to the highest bidder is important. It's hard to maintain a roster of allies if one is constantly tripping over broken Seals.
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Post by Rowan on Jul 28, 2021 16:16:48 GMT -8
"Like I said, I know my way around the streets and I've met a few people, but nothing spectacular." Beat.
"If you choose to go forward with this, there will be no room for fuck ups, Lucas. Not anymore. They'll expect you to do the job without thanks, but will tear you apart the moment something goes wrong." Beat, another beat. Rowan wants to say something, but he can't seem to bring himself to do it. He took a deep breath.
"Just... be careful. Call me if you need help."
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Jul 28, 2021 21:32:52 GMT -8
"That's pretty much Winter 101."
The playful grin on Lucas's face suggested that he was trying to add some levity to the situation rather than coming from a place of condescension.
He watched the Darkling as he took long pauses. Life in the Freehold was becoming increasingly more difficult terrain to navigate through. He understood the desire for hesitation because the wrong choice was so much more costly than it had been in the past.
"Thanks, Rowan. I appreciate it."
He strummed his fingers on the table while he gathers the rest of his thoughts. Since he had to hold so many secrets he ought to capitalize the opportunity to be honest when he can. "If you change your mind later on, the offer is still on the table. There are two big reasons I came to you first instead of reaching out to others.
One is that I know what it's like to be down in the dumps and need a break that doesn't involve someone giving me a handout because they feel bad for me. I like opportunities to prove myself rather than have pity taken on me.
The second is when you came to me about Golden Boy you legit cared about his well-being. You wanted to help him out and even pushed me when I thought we hit a road block. I'm going to have my bad days during all of this as well. I need someone who is willing to push me at times and who cares about what we are doing."
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Post by Rowan on Jul 30, 2021 15:18:14 GMT -8
"That second thing is the reason for that first thing, though." He sighed. He suddenly felt very tired.
"Right now, the trial is pretty much the only thing on my mind. How about we pick this up after it's done, if I'm not banished to the Hedge?" Rowan tried to use humour to deflect from how utterly nerve-wracked he was from the very thought of standing trial. Maybe by making fun of it, it would seem less scary?
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Aug 2, 2021 20:04:03 GMT -8
Lucas appreciated the effort that Rowan was making to add levity to the situation even if the joke fell flat. He knew that Rowan had to be terrified about the upcoming trial, who wouldn't be? It was hard for Lucas to tap into his well of empathy knowing how costly the failed ritual had been to the mortal population. It wasn't his job to damn Rowan or absolve him of any guilt, that was up to Fall.
"Sounds like a plan. Good luck, Rowan."
He was at least sincere in his well-wishes for the trial. His mind briefly stepped back into time, remembering the amount of self-loathing Fawkes had towards himself because of all of the blood on his hands. No matter how hard they all tried they never fully escaped Arcadia. They still felt the echoes of their captivity even when they made it to the other side. As tempting as it was to impose human morality on each other, it wasn't fair. They went through an experience that no human was ever meant to go through and they had magic that flowed through them that continuously affected their existence.
He looked equally exhausted in that moment as Rowan did. He offered him a small smile before he took his leave.
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