Inbox (Etraya)

[cantilevers]

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[cantilevers]

[Vander huffed a noise of amusement, swirling his drink in its glass. He appreciated that Jason took the news seriously.]

He wouldn't be so obvious as to day outright. However, he dropped enough vague comments that I am certain they have made contact. Silco doesn't cook; he distributes and networks.

[leastdramatic]

[Jason is absolutely taking it seriously. The timing of this the last thing any of them need]

Crane would cook. More than happy to and it wouldn't surprise me if he was already working on something before he and Silco called. Crane's also known as the Scarecrow so you might wanna keep your ears open to anything like that too.

[cantilevers]

So it is likely safe to assume that they have some sort of venture planned. What they would concoct I don't know, but I assume it would not make Etraya better in the long term.

[This was all something they should have hoped to avoid, but whatever Silco was working on, he intended to keep tabs on it. He had already made mistakes while emotional not that long ago.]

[leastdramatic]

[Jason nods]

It’s always bad news when Crane’s involved. Do we have a rough idea of what the timeline is?

text; cw: drug usage

[zauneyete]

I do not doubt that you could. [ A compliment??????? From SILCO????????????? Look. This time it is warranted. ] Then the moment that they realize we have one, or it becomes inconvenient, they would start yammering for it. Or, alternatively, you would find reason to give it to them.

[ Likely... if Silco was involved. The moment he did something. He is aware. No, it's better to be where he expects. The ones who supposedly want "peace" even when they don't. The'll just start amassing more, otherwise. Keep the amount low, keep it from increasing. Let them have it.

Jinx can do so much more with it than they ever could with scrap and whatever Silco could procure. His brilliant, perfect daughter could do more than they could eve dream of. ]

There is a difference between medicating for pain and what I do. I'm sure you're thinking I can't go without it, but you would be very, very incorrect.

[ Microdoses only. Controlled Application in the most unpleasant way possible. It's the most effective. It does what it needs to do. But Silco could not say he's addicted. ]

You want to frighten me, do you? [ There's... both fear, and a thrill in that. A part of Vander still wants to be that monster, he knows it. The beast coiling and raging against the cage. He could stick his fingers in and find them snapped off. He still could, despite what the man says. How he pretends with everyone else. Silco fears it. He wants to see it. He wants to see Vander become the monster, because it vindicates everything that he knows to be true. It vindicates him. ]

You want me to say that I hope you don't? You won't hear that from me.

[ he wants other people to see it to. To understand.

That monster is in everyone. Even the ones they wish it wasn't in. ]

[cantilevers]

No details. It wasn't my primary concern at the time we were speaking.

[That had been in the thick of things with expecting Damian to make a move against Jinx. He had been considering his options on that more than anything else.]

Maybe look into your Crane guy and see what he is up to.

text; cw: drug usage

[cantilevers]

I'm screen capping this agreement from you. [He would need to read it a few more times to believe that actually happened.] And what about it? Only Cait has skills to be able to take it back, and she has no skill at close range.

[It is unfortunate how much Vander had thought about it on his walk over, the contingency planning that came with being aware that he was potentially starting a fight and knowing how to come out the victor. When it came to a heist, he was better than most would consider him capable. All but probably Silco himself who has been on many heists in the past with him. Combat tactics were also Vander's strength.

And if Janna above, he and Silco worked together? He had no doubt that Piltover wouldn't stand much of a chance. It was probably best for that side that he and Silco had such a rift between them and this was as close to a civil conversation as they had managed to achieve in six months.]

I'm aware. You need it daily to keep what vision you have in that eye going. I saw the effect it had when you went without when we arrived.

[It did not surprise him that turning a drug that provided people the sense of freedom and power sold so well as a recreational use. For a people of downtrodden city, it was exactly the kind of medication that would fuel disputes as much as it would solve them. People could feel powerful, and there was often a lack of that for the little guy. The people Vander had wanted to protect most of all.]

If I have to, I will. Sometimes it's the only way to force you to retreat when you're taking a physical risk. [He knew Silco never would say such a thing, ask him not to. Too much pride, too much history there to warrant any kind of response.

After all, he had no doubt that Silco wanted to see him lose control. Not at him but in general to expose his temper to this place and vindicate the other man's feelings of hurt.]

I actually believe you hope I will. Publicly. Isn't that what our little tiffs are about? You pushing my buttons to see which will finally cause me to snap so you can point and tell the world how brutal and mean and awful I am. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

We both know how vicious we can be.

[leastdramatic]

We will. We don't trust him to leave him alone. He's the type who doesn't like to gets his hands dirty unless he's sure the fight's already in his favor.

[Jason sips from his tumbler]

Shimmer and fear toxin sound like a hell of a combo.

[cantilevers]

Neither does Silco. He prefers to operate in the shadows, but I expect he is looking to create disruptions.

[Maybe if there were a few groups on the look out, they could limit the amount of damage the two could create. It wasn't as if Silco or Jinx would listen to him. Well maybe Jinx.]

Overpowered fast healing people infected by fear? With the power some people have here; it would be a rough ride.

[leastdramatic]

I know why Crane would want to do this but what does Silco have to gain from it? It’s not like we got a real economy here.

[cantilevers]

That's why. There is not disparity or crime, so he'll create some.

[It was about control too.]

[leastdramatic]

[Jason scoffs. Right. Some crime lords do what they do out of greed. Some believe they have a higher message to prove. Others are just sadists]

Figures. They really would be a match made in hell.

[cantilevers]

[He shrugged his shoulders as if this was not the most bothersome news.]

Perhaps. Time will tell, but we should have contingencies just in case.

[leastdramatic]

Agreed. Given what kind of work this’ll be, presumably, this is going to be underground and not easy to reach.

[cantilevers]

Hmm, potentially. Shimmer was manufactured underground, but you'd know more about the other toxin. There are plenty of labs around these parts that they could operate from.

[Would it be secretive or would they simply find a way to manufacture quickly and then protect their assets?]

[leastdramatic]

The tricky thing about fear toxin is that he can make it out of a wide range of ingredients.

[How fast Crane can whip it up is a question Jason doesn't really have an answer to]

If Crane already knows vigilantes from his world are also here, he'd want to take the most secretively lab to avoid detection.

[cantilevers]

So you know the recipe for it then? Can we cut off sources of specific ingredients?

[However, that didn't change the fact that Aurora could willingly bring items in on request. They may only delay the inevitable.]

He knows. People like that cover their basis before they make a move.

[leastdramatic]

Not unless we somehow convince Aurora not to do any of his requests.

[Jason's index finger traces the rim of his tumbler]

Might wanna consider rebreathers or gas masks soon.

[cantilevers]

Has that been done before?

[He wasn't certain that even he had the skills to convince her not to trust someone to act in their own interests when this entire world was built to test how they would try (and maybe fail) to save their worlds. This could just be part of the plan on some level.

Yet, at the suggestion, he simply smiled secretively.]

I breathe trench air from the worst parts of the undercity. We should keep this quiet until we have solid evidence.

[leastdramatic]

[Jason has little doubt on whether Vander is tough. One has to be when living in places like Zaun or Crime Alley. But whatever this trench air is, it's nothing compared to getting a dose of fear toxin]

My side will be monitoring. We've been monitoring since we realized he showed up. Is anyone else on your side aware of this?

[cantilevers]

[He did take the advice seriously, but he also expected that there were perhaps other modes of introduction of the toxin into the system. Perhaps that's where the pair would switch things up. Who knew. He would prepare accordingly.]

How many are on your side?

[He considered the question seriously, mulling it over. He sipped his whiskey.]

Potentially one other. Even if they aren't aware, I don't expect them to condone it anyway.

[leastdramatic]

Enough of us.

[Jason's aware of how unhelpful the answer is but he still needs to play some things close to the chest]

Depending on how this goes, you'll probably find out soon enough. We're all gonna need to cooperate.

[cantilevers]

Trust only goes so far. I understand.

[There was the need to protect their own, and yet, he expected there was more than that involved here. He watched Jason carefully to try to understand the other man a little more.]

It doesn't matter to me; I make my stand the same way regardless of anyone else from my world. If you all want to take lead, do so.

[leastdramatic]

It's nothing personal. A healthy sense of paranoia comes with the job.

[Jason sips his whiskey]

I'd rather this be a cooperation than one leading the other. We each have about half the intel to to this next disaster.

[cantilevers]

I'm aware. I did run part of city for some years and there were plenty that would want to see me or mine dead.

[He knew the necessity of caution, but on the heels of what his side had just gone through being rallied as they had, it didn't chase the paranoia in him. It was good he has a stone for now.]

Do we? I expect your intel will be deeper than mine. I have tread carefully.