(no subject)

 

Zeran: ...He can disappear if necessary... but I am open to suggestions. This is, after all, meant to be a negotiation...

Thomas: ............. *finally relents, letting the mask slip - Zeran will be able to read that he /is/ listening and receptive* Go home, Zeran. Or go back to Barrett's if that's where you've been. Get a good night's sleep if you can. Let me look into things in the morning. I only just learned of this myself, so I have no intel to work from yet. But I will promise you this - I will see what I can do, and I will keep in contact with you.

Zeran: ...*nods* Thank you, Thomas, that's all I can really ask.

Thomas: *offers his hand* I'll be in contact with you tomorrow once I've been over everything.

Zeran: *accepts the hand and nods* Rest well... *and he'll turn to go. He'll go out how he got in.*

*Thomas will get some good sleep that night, though Zeran does not. When Thomas gets into the office and starts digging into things he’ll learn a number of things, though not everything he’s looking for. Bruce Randalf has a clean record, with the exception of an arrest for harassment in his youth, apparently he joined Zeran in confronting the man Zeran first thought murdered his father. He’s been married for eight years to a Lana Randalf, and has a daughter of seven, Tiana Randalf. He’s self employed, running a mechanic shop of his own that’s rather successful and has a high rating and a reputation for honesty and good work. Frankly, the man seems like a good guy. There is /nothing/ that even /hints/ that this man has any connection to the Ghosts. Actually, the only reason Thomas’s men arrested him was 1. He was in the middle of things at the cultists’ location, 2. He clearly wasn’t /with/ them, and 3... one of the tech pieces they took off him was not only super advanced, but they found a small logo, nearly missed, with the Ghosts’ symbol on it. Thomas will also hear from his men that... they were actually a bit reluctant to arrest the man... because some of them realize that he likely saved their lives, diverting the attention of the cultists in time to keep them from being overwhelmed. Not all realize this, but some are sure of it; this man saved their lives. Thomas has finally done all the research he can on this man, the only thing left to do is to go speak with this “Ghost” himself.*

Bruce: *sitting in a holding cell, not looking at anyone, but highly aware of each body nearby. He’s spent the night mentally apologizing to his family and trying to get some rest, but gave up on that a few hours ago and is just sitting now. He doesn’t want to admit that he’s scared. Scared that any sentence given will end in his death just because no one will be sure they /can/ hold him (and honestly they probably couldn’t for too long). Scared of what the coming process (investigation, trial, etc.) will do to his wife and daughter. He’s just... scared, and trying to stuff the emotion away so he can try to think of a way out of this... if it’s not already too late. He knows his team won’t come for him, they’ve all vowed not to do that, not to sacrifice themselves for each other in situations like these. He’s on his own, though he knows Lana and Tiana will be taken care of at least, even if this whole coming fiasco is a huge embarrassment to them...*