Family Matters

[Cadmon Geller]

Empress Teta, Slums, Late

---

---

They'd tracked him down to this backwater excuse of a neighborhood that frankly made some of the Sublevels on Coruscant look prosperous by comparison. It smelled like decay, and those eeking out an existence there looked as if they matched the stench. It was a deplorable place, forgotten by most, its people abandoned, and uncared form a perfect place for Red Rye to conduct his operation.

No one was going to bother to come looking for him or any of his associates in the compound he'd purchased here. No one except them.

Cadmon was loaded for bear, and while he hadn't said it, it was clear that he had no intentions on claiming the live bounty on Rye or any of his pals who happened to also have a price on them. A venture which based off what he was seeing through the marcobinoculars he peered through, wasn't going to be that difficult, or it was going to be impossible. There were places where one might expect guards to be posted, even a slapped together crow's nest for a sniper, but they were all empty.

It left them in one of two situations that Geller could think of, either the mercenary had closed up shop and moved, or they had piss poor security sense. Aside from lights peeking through a few windows, there was nothing to suggest anyone was even there. "Gonna be a short night." He grumbled, tucking the binoculars into a deep pouch inside his coat, looking to Joy blankly.

"It's either no money or easy money."

---

---

[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Empress Teta, The Slums, Late
A Trap | Interacting with [member="Cadmon Geller"] ~ Animal ~ "You know, you know me."
——————————————————————

"You know," The Nyraanian private eye said dryly, leaning next to him with crossed arms and an aloof expression, "I only get a commission from the Security Force if he's arrested, so, try not to shoot to kill if you could manage that." Honestly, she didn't expect her plea to have much effect.

Most she could hope for now was a splitting of bounty money, because not even Joy could stop Cadmon when he was in the heat of it.

She didn't say what she'd really been wanting to say, the things lurking in her mind; the Beast had better security than this. He'd been a madman, but Rye had been smarter than madmen before. It was strange to see him clearly working alone when operations like this attracted other criminals like they were tidal pools catching starfish. Letting out a breath and wishing once more she'd brought her other walking death machine, her naturally-night-vision eyes glanced down at the future battleground without any tech, able to see in the shadows perfectly, "It really is empty."

"Feth, you don't think someone got here before us, do you?"

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Empress Teta, Slums, Late

---

---

"One way to found out." Cadmon shrugged, leveling the LK-40 and making a move towards the compound. He moved methodically, cover to cover, his eyes constantly sweeping for any threats. There were none, in fact the street had become more or less abandoned leaving only the noise of the occasional speeder overhead to fill the darkness. He knew she'd be behind him, he trusted her to have his back which was a rarer occurrence than galactic peace and stability.

Making his way to the small barricade in front of the entrance where a sentry might once have been posted, the 'someone got to him first' theory shot up to being the most likely scenario. Crumpled behind the durasteel fortification was a Lassat lying in a pool of its own blood, a gaping hole wide in its throat. "Feth." He cursed harshly. Their quarry had likely been taken out right from underneath them by some underworld assassin type. Kark it all.

"I guess we see if we can find a body, at least get something from tha-" ​Someone screamed from inside, several someones. Then, the distinct blast of an LK-40 shattered one voice, its owner falling silent. He knew that sound anywhere, and he also knew he was supposed to be in possession of the only one's in existence. They had seconds to act, perhaps to get Rye, and whoever was wiping out the entire compound. He wouldn't force her into that situation, not after what happened last time.

"You don't have to-" He stopped himself right in his tracks. The Nyrinnian would sooner openly acknowledge that she had a thing for him than sit something out. "After you." Cadmon corrected himself, nodding to his partner. It was now or never.

---

---

[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Empress Teta, The Slums, Late
A Trap | Interacting with [member="Cadmon Geller"] ~ Animal ~ "I like to be intoxicated."
——————————————————————

She followed, blaster drawn, but not raised.

Apparently, Joy trusted him that much. Huh.

She'd been squatting down to inspect the dead Lassat when the sound of a familiar weapon was heard and her eyes immediately flipped up to Cadmon, clearly having expected him to be the shooter. There was some confusion when she noticed him still passive, then her mind kicked back into gear; active shooter. Rising to her feet with blaster properly drawn, the look she gave Geller would have frozen the Netherworld over, "Yeah, I'll lead."

Chills ran up her spine at those words. I'll lead. Remember the last time you lead? Wiping a scowl from her face and banishing any residual pain from her arm that was flaring up, the former Detective moved into the compound, rather brazenly calling out, "Best surrender now, slimeball." To whoever was shooting. Maybe not the best idea to threaten an assassin, but, by the book and all. Darkly, she could always fall back on Cadmon to shoot first and figure out answers later.

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Empress Teta, Slums, Late

---

---

They moved in, entering into an open room, a few tables and chairs scattered about, in addition to more than a few corpses which were visible in the flickering light. Cadmon's weapon was up, and in an instant his sights were set on a form rushing towards them. But it wasn't charging them, it wasn't raising a blaster or blade, no, it was running away from something. He almost called out for the man to stop, and as the lights flashed and revealed the fleeing man to be none other than a terrified Red Rye, Cadmon almost squeezed the trigger.

But he didn't have to.

The light flickered into darkness and another shot rang out. His body tensed up, preparing for the screaming pain and rush of adrenaline that followed impact. But it didn't come, but when the lights flickered back on his eyes darted to Joy to ensure the choking sound wasn't coming from her. It wasn't. Their target was laying on the floor, the same flechette loaded into his weapon lodged firmly in Rye's neck, having punched clean through the bone and simply stopped.

"What the fet-"

"I don't think I'll be surrendering, but you can both walk away now."

Cadmon's eyes shot to the man at the other end of the room. In his hands was the exact same weapon as Cadmon, which again, shouldn't have been possible. The man was a tad shorter than himself, similar hair, clad all in black, and that was about the extent of what he could make out. His weapon was drawn on the assassin's head in an instant. Then the strangest thing happened, as the man stepped forward slowly, a look of disbelief spread across his face.

"Well feth me, it's you." He spoke, eyes set directly on Cadmon. He had no idea who this person was. Or so he thought.

---

---

[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Empress Teta, The Slums, Late
A Trap | Interacting with [member="Cadmon Geller"] ~ Animal ~ "They say boy you know, it's time to go."
——————————————————————

To say this was sensory overload was a bit of an understatement.

Joy's nocturnal gaze let her punch through the shadows to witness the killer who'd just taken out their mark. Sure, 'mark' was demeaning, he'd been somewhat of an old acquaintance but she still felt no joy at seeing Rye dead so callously, at the hands of this man who seemed all too familiar, with that particular gun and particular lilt in tone.

"Geller, who is this, exactly?" The Nyraanian muttered, blaster raised now too to accompany him. It wasn't the Beast. Something akin to relief left her upon realizing that; how truly scared she had been to face him once more. This was a different sort of beast, now, wasn't it? Violence beget violence beget violence, this man coloured her detective's senses the wrong way just from his look and stance and obvious threat of harm.

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Empress Teta, Slums, Late

---

---

"I have no idea." Cadmon answered honestly, keeping his weapon level with the man in black, who didn't seem to mind. His demeanor was relaxed, aloof even, he must've thought that innate curiosity would keep Cadmon from squeezing the trigger. He was wrong. Plenty had tried that, and they were all dead, or wished they were. The man only smirked in satisfaction, relishing in Cadmon's confusion.

"That's not true, not true at all." The man answered, shrugging with cool confidence. He didn't bother to raise up a weapon in defense, but he did laugh. taking some measure of satisfaction in the situation.

"I don't care who the feth you are, you've got 'til the count of three before I take your head o-"

"That's no way to treat family." The man cut in, Cadmon's eyebrows raising, and his gut clenching in anger. What did he mean family? Was he someone Cadmon had served with? No, he remembered all of them, their names, their faces, how they'd died. He remembered every single one, and that was the only relevant family he'd had in his life since he was a boy. Blood relatives wouldn't have the slightest clue what he even looked like now, would they?

"I don't have any family dipchit, now fre-hey!" Cadmon squeezed the trigger, loosing a flechette as the man peeled around a corner into the shadows, chuckling with sinister satisfaction while the projectile dug into the wall.

"Oh, but don't you?" The man taunted from the shadows, his voice growing farther away. The chase was on.

---

---

[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​