"Couperation"
Dec 2, 2019 2:35:17 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Dec 2, 2019 2:35:17 GMT -5
(Note: This canonically takes place a week after the October Debased event.)
*Ruby Moreno and Megan Williams are riding in a limousine on a rainy day. Ruby is reading a newspaper while Megan Williams sits at attention. Both women are rather quiet, as they have been all week. Ruby breaks the silence.*
[Ruby:] “I have a call to make when we arrive so please take care of this for me.”
*Megan practically trips over her words in enthusiasm to help.*
[Megan:] “Yes sir, ma’am, sir, I’m your help! I'll get you the goods!”
*Ruby takes a deep breath, gives Megan a helping of side-eye, and continues reading.
A few seconds later, she looks up and finds Megan still staring.*
[Ruby:] “Failure to blink has severe health risks. But I am far more concerned about your brain right now. Complete attentiveness comes at the cost of a healthy memory. So please tell me what it is you think I want taken care of.”
[Megan:] “The goods!”
*Ruby face-palms as the headache lurking from a distance has now finally arrived.*
[Ruby:] “The goods…on?”
[Megan:] “The Monroes!”
*Ruby breathes a sigh of relief.*
[Ruby:] “Yes, check on their progress to see when the upgrade is ready. We can't go long without a forceful response. Regardless of the display Furis put on, one can’t deny the latest version of Jeff made him work for it. I was promised that Jeff would have at least 10% more muscle and speed next time. In case Rivers falls, Monroe can be our Champion.”
[Megan:] “Should I find out what happened to the old version-“
*The stern look Megan immediately gets in return silences her as we return to quiet for the rest of the ride. Ten minutes later, the limousine stops and Megan gets out. Ruby doesn’t bother saying anything or even looking out the window. It is a complete surprise when, 30 seconds later, Megan brusquely returns to the limousine. Ruby doesn’t make eye contact.*
[Ruby:] “Forget something?”
*Megan’s silence causes Ruby to roll her eyes and then look up. Immediately, the patronizing look disappears from her face and is replaced with one of shock and concern. Megan is completely covered in mud and on the verge of tears.*
[Ruby:] “What happened!? Did you lose your equilibrium again?”
[Megan:] “I…I was pushed!”
*Now it is a look of fury which claims Ruby’s face. She opens up the door and marches over to what appears to be a service entrance to a factory where two Gauntlet Security guards are laughing. Ruby points to Megan who is in the limousine and sheepishly hides but is still peaking above the window line*
[Ruby:] “What is the meaning of this?”
[Gauntlet Guard 1:] “Looks like the Queen Turd is in the punch bowl.”
[Gauntlet Guard 2:] “Should we call the boss?”
[Ruby:] “Your now former boss – I’ll have you skinned alive for your disrespect and assault of my fr...assistant!”
*A familiar voice from behind speaks, causing Ruby to immediately turn around.*
[Agent 1:] “I think not. You were never authorized to make Gauntlet personnel decisions.”
[Ruby:] “Why was Megan prevented from entering and then assaulted?”
[Agent 1:] “Protocol. An invalid access is considered an attempt to infiltrate our security. This cannot be allowed.”
[Ruby:] “We both know she’s unsteady. She probably pressed the wrong number.”
*The two Gauntlet Security guards laugh causing Ruby’s face to contort In rage*
[Agent 1:] “I share their reaction – any number Megan or you press is the wrong one. You really don’t get it, do you?”
[Ruby:] “Apparently not. You can add today's antics to what happened last week. I demand to know why you didn’t provide me with backup when Furis, Clyde, and the Walkers had me cornered in the ring.”
[Agent 1:] “So is this the part where you finally admit I was right about Clyde?”
[Ruby:] “This is the part I demand you tell me where you were!”
[Agent 1:] “A lot of demanding from someone who has lost her grip. The boss disapproved of you coming out without informing me about your intentions. We’ve told you time and time again that security can’t be performed ad hoc. You know that building is crawling with your enemies, yet you blame us when you get impulsive and it blows up in your face.”
[Ruby:] “I’m the boss.”
[Agent 1:] “You're not even the boss of your own emotions anymore. The boss sees your cognitive decline and is done wasting resources. So once you got in trouble, it was acceptable collateral damage. You weren’t careful enough and you weren’t smart enough. I’ve been telling you for months that the Walkers were planning something. Two minutes of footage in Venkman mysteriously erased? Two minutes that coincided with simultaneous presence of Walker and Joachim? It was crystal clear something occurred between those two sides due to Joachim’s alliance with Clyde. But you wouldn’t listen to us. Why even employ Gauntlet if you refuse to accept our intelligence and inform us before you do something reckless?”
[Ruby:] “You don’t talk to me like that and you don’t decide my expectations of you.”
[Agent 1:] “I don’t, but he does and he gave me direct orders not to intervene in your humiliation. He saw it go down and enjoyed every second of it. And so did I. You gave the Walkers leverage years ago by being careless with that contract. But we tolerated that because you still had control of the situation, until now. The fact you lost your cool so easily against Carter and blew your only remaining advantage was disgraceful. We’re done with you, Moreno. Gauntlet is moving on.”
*Agent 1 picks up a box nearby and walks away. Ruby screams at him to stop.*
[Ruby:] “You fool! You’re nothing without me! Destiny made Gauntlet what it is today!”
*This time another voice is heard from behind Ruby. But rather than fuel her rage, this one makes her nervous. And that is for good reason as this voice is almost haunting and subtly reverberates in the air*
“Oh, is that so? You made us? We work for you?”
*Ruby turns around to find a man dressed in all orange fatigues with his face obscured by a black skull bandanna. She retreats a few steps then struggles to walk forward to show a confidence they both know that she no longer has*
[Ruby:] “Jarec. Listen to me. Be reasonable.”
[Jarec:] “The time for talk is behind us and being reasonable has never been my way. You used to pride yourself on that, which made you a tolerable partner in the short term, but I no longer see it in your eyes. In fact, I no longer see that Guiding Light either. No, how could this loser carry the mantle of Destiny? You are undeserved.”
[Ruby:] “So you’re working for Joachim?”
*The two guards start laughing again but they are not nearly as loud as Jarec’s wails of laughter which are so disturbing that everyone shuts up until he finishes.*
[Jarec:] “Such a simple, binary mind – how you have achieved any success in the world is a testament to how truly mediocre it really is. So it is time for a change. Not only will Gauntlet be on the side that brings it, we will be the catalyst itself. Your time is almost up so offer the little you have left, your remaining dignity, to Robin Walker next month. But we, we shall bring the world what Geese Walker tried to embody and never could – true chaos.”
*Jarec begins laughing maniacally. Ruby runs to the access panel and futilely tries to enter her access code, only for a red light to appear and a rejection sound to play. She tries again and again but to no effect other than the hysterics of Jarec.*
[Jarec:] “No more Monroes for you!! Better…Stronger…Faster...Monster.”
*Ruby quickly retreats to her limousine. It drives away so quickly that it practically skids. Inside, the scene is quieter than ever but an expressionless Ruby attempts to help Megan clean off the mud.*
*Ruby Moreno and Megan Williams are riding in a limousine on a rainy day. Ruby is reading a newspaper while Megan Williams sits at attention. Both women are rather quiet, as they have been all week. Ruby breaks the silence.*
[Ruby:] “I have a call to make when we arrive so please take care of this for me.”
*Megan practically trips over her words in enthusiasm to help.*
[Megan:] “Yes sir, ma’am, sir, I’m your help! I'll get you the goods!”
*Ruby takes a deep breath, gives Megan a helping of side-eye, and continues reading.
A few seconds later, she looks up and finds Megan still staring.*
[Ruby:] “Failure to blink has severe health risks. But I am far more concerned about your brain right now. Complete attentiveness comes at the cost of a healthy memory. So please tell me what it is you think I want taken care of.”
[Megan:] “The goods!”
*Ruby face-palms as the headache lurking from a distance has now finally arrived.*
[Ruby:] “The goods…on?”
[Megan:] “The Monroes!”
*Ruby breathes a sigh of relief.*
[Ruby:] “Yes, check on their progress to see when the upgrade is ready. We can't go long without a forceful response. Regardless of the display Furis put on, one can’t deny the latest version of Jeff made him work for it. I was promised that Jeff would have at least 10% more muscle and speed next time. In case Rivers falls, Monroe can be our Champion.”
[Megan:] “Should I find out what happened to the old version-“
*The stern look Megan immediately gets in return silences her as we return to quiet for the rest of the ride. Ten minutes later, the limousine stops and Megan gets out. Ruby doesn’t bother saying anything or even looking out the window. It is a complete surprise when, 30 seconds later, Megan brusquely returns to the limousine. Ruby doesn’t make eye contact.*
[Ruby:] “Forget something?”
*Megan’s silence causes Ruby to roll her eyes and then look up. Immediately, the patronizing look disappears from her face and is replaced with one of shock and concern. Megan is completely covered in mud and on the verge of tears.*
[Ruby:] “What happened!? Did you lose your equilibrium again?”
[Megan:] “I…I was pushed!”
*Now it is a look of fury which claims Ruby’s face. She opens up the door and marches over to what appears to be a service entrance to a factory where two Gauntlet Security guards are laughing. Ruby points to Megan who is in the limousine and sheepishly hides but is still peaking above the window line*
[Ruby:] “What is the meaning of this?”
[Gauntlet Guard 1:] “Looks like the Queen Turd is in the punch bowl.”
[Gauntlet Guard 2:] “Should we call the boss?”
[Ruby:] “Your now former boss – I’ll have you skinned alive for your disrespect and assault of my fr...assistant!”
*A familiar voice from behind speaks, causing Ruby to immediately turn around.*
[Agent 1:] “I think not. You were never authorized to make Gauntlet personnel decisions.”
[Ruby:] “Why was Megan prevented from entering and then assaulted?”
[Agent 1:] “Protocol. An invalid access is considered an attempt to infiltrate our security. This cannot be allowed.”
[Ruby:] “We both know she’s unsteady. She probably pressed the wrong number.”
*The two Gauntlet Security guards laugh causing Ruby’s face to contort In rage*
[Agent 1:] “I share their reaction – any number Megan or you press is the wrong one. You really don’t get it, do you?”
[Ruby:] “Apparently not. You can add today's antics to what happened last week. I demand to know why you didn’t provide me with backup when Furis, Clyde, and the Walkers had me cornered in the ring.”
[Agent 1:] “So is this the part where you finally admit I was right about Clyde?”
[Ruby:] “This is the part I demand you tell me where you were!”
[Agent 1:] “A lot of demanding from someone who has lost her grip. The boss disapproved of you coming out without informing me about your intentions. We’ve told you time and time again that security can’t be performed ad hoc. You know that building is crawling with your enemies, yet you blame us when you get impulsive and it blows up in your face.”
[Ruby:] “I’m the boss.”
[Agent 1:] “You're not even the boss of your own emotions anymore. The boss sees your cognitive decline and is done wasting resources. So once you got in trouble, it was acceptable collateral damage. You weren’t careful enough and you weren’t smart enough. I’ve been telling you for months that the Walkers were planning something. Two minutes of footage in Venkman mysteriously erased? Two minutes that coincided with simultaneous presence of Walker and Joachim? It was crystal clear something occurred between those two sides due to Joachim’s alliance with Clyde. But you wouldn’t listen to us. Why even employ Gauntlet if you refuse to accept our intelligence and inform us before you do something reckless?”
[Ruby:] “You don’t talk to me like that and you don’t decide my expectations of you.”
[Agent 1:] “I don’t, but he does and he gave me direct orders not to intervene in your humiliation. He saw it go down and enjoyed every second of it. And so did I. You gave the Walkers leverage years ago by being careless with that contract. But we tolerated that because you still had control of the situation, until now. The fact you lost your cool so easily against Carter and blew your only remaining advantage was disgraceful. We’re done with you, Moreno. Gauntlet is moving on.”
*Agent 1 picks up a box nearby and walks away. Ruby screams at him to stop.*
[Ruby:] “You fool! You’re nothing without me! Destiny made Gauntlet what it is today!”
*This time another voice is heard from behind Ruby. But rather than fuel her rage, this one makes her nervous. And that is for good reason as this voice is almost haunting and subtly reverberates in the air*
“Oh, is that so? You made us? We work for you?”
*Ruby turns around to find a man dressed in all orange fatigues with his face obscured by a black skull bandanna. She retreats a few steps then struggles to walk forward to show a confidence they both know that she no longer has*
[Ruby:] “Jarec. Listen to me. Be reasonable.”
[Jarec:] “The time for talk is behind us and being reasonable has never been my way. You used to pride yourself on that, which made you a tolerable partner in the short term, but I no longer see it in your eyes. In fact, I no longer see that Guiding Light either. No, how could this loser carry the mantle of Destiny? You are undeserved.”
[Ruby:] “So you’re working for Joachim?”
*The two guards start laughing again but they are not nearly as loud as Jarec’s wails of laughter which are so disturbing that everyone shuts up until he finishes.*
[Jarec:] “Such a simple, binary mind – how you have achieved any success in the world is a testament to how truly mediocre it really is. So it is time for a change. Not only will Gauntlet be on the side that brings it, we will be the catalyst itself. Your time is almost up so offer the little you have left, your remaining dignity, to Robin Walker next month. But we, we shall bring the world what Geese Walker tried to embody and never could – true chaos.”
*Jarec begins laughing maniacally. Ruby runs to the access panel and futilely tries to enter her access code, only for a red light to appear and a rejection sound to play. She tries again and again but to no effect other than the hysterics of Jarec.*
[Jarec:] “No more Monroes for you!! Better…Stronger…Faster...Monster.”
*Ruby quickly retreats to her limousine. It drives away so quickly that it practically skids. Inside, the scene is quieter than ever but an expressionless Ruby attempts to help Megan clean off the mud.*