The pillar to Heaven built in Hell

oh good idea, huh ok Jeannie make a good distraction. just go? jeannie makes a sad face but what about you then? jeannie doesn't want you to get hurt, well that is nice of you to worry about me. she gives him a hug.

I'll come up with a really good plan so we can both escape huh maybe like if I set off a bunch of bombs in different spots they won't know where to look. maybe if I had some of them remote control type guns too yeah I could set them up to shoot and cause a distraction without having to stay.

jeannie starts doodling up a plan for a big surprise for then bad guys yeah lots of kabooms that's good for distracting.

An energy transfer station. She didn’t know what Orion was planning to do with it, but it couldn’t be good. Hopefully Cebra could indeed figure out what it was all about. And once they got enough information, they could step with it to the police. Or whatever other governmental institute handles such affairs. If they had enough evidence, no one would be able to ignore what Orion was up to. It’d be the end of them. And Cebra and Francine would no longer have to live in the shadows and in constant fear of what might happen. Yes, she could see it clearly.

In fact, she was so occupied by it Francine had to pull her aside when someone passed by outside. A quick peek through the walls and a bit of ear dropping told Sam there was nothing to worry about. Just a pair of dockworkers taking the shortest route to their next assignment. Nothing to worry about. Her hearing did reveal something else, Francine’s elevated heartbeat. She must really be worried if she was this afraid of even the smallest sound. With any luck that would all be over soon.

When the dockworkers moved away, Francine continued talking. Even more tense than before. When she told how dangerous Cebra was to those around him, Sam couldn’t help but wonder how much of this was a fact. True, he was a wanted man and she still didn’t know what he was planning to do with the device he had Jeannie and her collect. But to be a danger to those around them and their loved ones; surely, she must be exaggerating. Still, she shivered when she thought about someone going after her family and friends just to get to her.

‘No, that’s not going to happen,’ she told herself. She wouldn’t allow it. “Thank you for the information,” she told Francine. “We’ll put it to good use. And you have my word, when this is all over you won’t have to hide any-more.”

Francine looked at Sam skeptically, she didn't exactly put all her faith in her. Francine wasn't one for false hope or long shots. The fact that she went out on a limb was a grand act of faith itself on her part. But she knew that Cebra was a capable person so maybe this woman was as well. I mean it's not like she had much of a choice anyways, the eyes of Orion are as numerous as the stars.

"Well... I wont hold my breath. But maybe this will be the thing that bring these monsters down. They've survived a lot through one way or another... I'm getting out of here now, dont get yourself killed. Oh and tell Cebra... oh, never mind. Just... take care is all."

Francine hands over the tiny device and exits through the back door. She slips away quickly behind some bushes leading out to an alley.

Sam waited until Francine has left the building before departing herself. The area was still as deserted as when she had arrived. No reason for her to lose any precious time. She took off and kept climbing until she was just a small spot to the people below. She on the other hand could still see perfectly what was happening below. She looked around to see if Francine had gotten away without problems, but couldn’t detect the woman anywhere. Either she was traveling underground, or had already left the area. All Sam could do was hope she’d be alright until they had dealt with Orion.

If the information on the device was indeed as valuable as Francine had told her, it wouldn’t take them long to put a stop to Orion once and for all.

“Better get this thing analysed as soon as possible,” she told herself before flying back to Cebra’s hideout.

A short flight later she landed in the same ally she had used before and did the last part on foot as to not draw any unwanted attention. Still having the key was easy, she could just let herself in. Jeannie and Cebra were still in, planning something by the looks of it.

“I’ve got it,” she told Cebra before handing him the device she had acquired. “Oh, and before I forget, Francine wants you to take care.”

jeannie runs over and hugs Samyay your back! we were planning the sneaky stuff she points to her doodles that were cartoons of her and cebra doing the plan so would you get? another gizmo to be in the plan somewhere?

Cebra receives the device from Sam looking down at it with a foreboding feeling, this could be the key to the downfall of his most hated enemies. This could be the first domino if used correctly. Sam mentions Francine saying "take care" which puts a melancholy look on Cebra's face for a second before going back to a neutral look. It was second nature for Cebra to always have a poker face, another defense against people. Though he was never entirely sure if that was part of the training, programming or just his own hang up.

"Thank you Sam, when I return later I'll examine this. Hopefully this will give us a better idea of what is going on and what Orion is dealing in. We're just about finished planning the infiltration of the data facility, when we have both info from he facility and the data cell then we should know exactly what their latest project is."



Cebra walks to the window looking out as the sun has almost set, the twilight of the day dimming into night.

"... It's almost time. Jeannie let's get ready to move out. Grab what you need from the armory and dont forget the EM. I'll be waiting down in the garage, the big grey van with tinted windows. Pack the EM in the back, I inlaid some shielding so it wont affect me dont worry... This is it."

huh ok then, time to go, that's good it won't get you too she goes and changes into her janitor disguise then grabs stuff from the armor for her distraction plan. she puts a big box in the back of the van.

The armoury? Sam frowned when Cebra mentioned that. She had believed it would be some quiet infiltration mission: get in, get what you need, and get out again without being seen. The caretaker costume fitted into all that, a visit to the armoury not so much.

‘What are those two planning?’ she wondered when Jeannie started moving a big box. Surely that couldn’t all be required for the mission? She could have a peek inside the box. No one would even know she did so. It would be the easiest way to find out what those two were up to. The easiest way, yes, but not necessarily the best way. If she went behind their back to find out, it would only prove she didn’t trust them enough to ask them face-to-face.

“Say, Cebra, what are the two of you up to?” she asked.

Cebra turned to look at Sam breaking his thoughts.

"Hm? Well Jeannie is going to be my distraction while I infiltrate the facility from above."

Though he played it a bit coy Cebra couldn't help but think Sam did not in fact trust his judgement or ways of doing things. It was entirely possible someone could get hurt or killed, this was a cold fact of Cebra's world. He sensed however Sam was of an opposing view somewhat, this could prove to be a problem further down the line. He forced the thought from his head quickly remembering he had a mission. While Jeannie is getting her gear ready Cebra walks up to Sam and speaks in hush tones.

"I've no intention of letting anyone get hurt... I cant give you more than that, I'm no God Sam."

we are playing spies! jeannie smiles when Sam asked what they were up to. I'm to sneak in and plant the gizmo to turn the power off, then I get out, and cebra gets the computer thingy I make a big distraction so he can get out. that's what this is for

she points to the box and giggles amused like it was a Christmas present she couldn't wait to open

It wasn’t an answer. It felt more like an apology for things yet to come. As if Cebra knew he was going to do things she wouldn’t approve of. Of course, she knew he wasn’t a god, neither was she. They couldn’t save everyone, everywhere. That was the limitation of their abilities and something they always had to keep in mind. No matter how much they tried, they would never be able to keep everyone safe. There was a fine difference between no being able to save everyone and endangering others as a side effect to further your own goals, though.

When Jeannie started giggling when pointing to the box, Sam knew enough. There were only two things that would make Jeannie behave like that: sweets and explosions. And it was highly unlikely they’d be using sweets as a means to infiltrate an enemy base; it wasn’t Halloween yet. Which just left explosions.

“Bombs!” Sam exclaimed. “You’re planning on setting of some bombs to create a distraction!”!” It was an accusation as much as a observation.

"yes"

Cebra's answer was a cold matter of fact statement, in tone anyways.

"Its the best means to cause confusion and distraction in this case, rest assured they will be planted in areas vacant of human presence."

Cebra could sense Sam's tension and doubt building, but what could he do? At this point it was necessary. The only thing that Cebra could possibly do is restrict the explosives to a low yield about the size of a grenade explosion.

"I get the distinct impression you dont approve? Well you dont have to trust me, trust Jeannie. You seems close enough that she would not want to make you upset yes? Then trust her to know what she is doing if not for the success of our mission then at least to not disappoint you. Any word I give wont count for much... Dont get me wrong I'm not using her to hide my shortcomings but... This is happening, it has to. Put your faith in Jeannie that she'll make sure no one gets harmed."

Cebra turns away hiding the dejected look on his face and walks to a closet taking out a black turtle neck shirt and pair of cargo pants. He walks into the bathroom getting changed into his new clothes, not forgetting to get a tranquilizer gun and stun grenades from the armory.

yup kabom! that always works
jeannie noticed sam didn't share her love of kabooms
don't worry sammie, we just need a distraction so it'll be like fireworks just some flashes of light and big booms to get their attention. no one will get hurt promise

He just confirmed it like it was nothing. Which was more than she had expected him to do, given his usual fondness of secrets. Not that it changed very much. He was planning using violence as a first resort rather than a last. Didn’t he know that violence only invited more violence? Was it being hunted for so long that had made him like this? If so, she felt sorry for him. But it was no excuse.

“Of course I believe in Jeannie,” she spoke. “I trust her not to endanger others. But what are you going to do when the situation escalates? Violence rarely stays confined to a single area. What are you going to do when that happens? You won’t be able to keep everyone safe.”

"I'm going to do the same thing I always do... Save who I can and take the blame for others. I'm not going to sit here and waste time while Orion is free to victimize and use people like cattle. I'm not going to wait while they abuse technology for selfish gain at the expense of this world. Every second I sit here not doing anything is another foot they gain in their plan. What would you have me do exactly? Politely ask them to hand over the information I need?"

Cebra's frustration was starting to show, very uncharacteristic of him. However he'd never really bothered to try and justify himself or his actions. He was a soldier fighting this war by himself and so his mind became more hardened over the years if not decades. Orion was a ruthless corporation, Cebra knew this all to well. The close friends that had died, some due to his own actions haunted him frequently. But that just drove him further, made the fire in him burn more violently.

"You think I enjoy this? You think every life that's spent doesn't haunt me?! I KNOW what violence is. I've seen war and death and suffering and fear in spades! I've seen corpses dragged from bombed out craters only to be on a table cut open and experimented on! I've seen every manner of sick evil these hairless apes are capable of! And every day I give a piece of my life and sanity to try and save them from themselves because I know they can be better than this! What do I get from it? Not a damn thing, nor do I ask for any prize but peace and justice... But Orion... They're a special kind of sick."

His cool demeanor breaks momentarily as he stares her down shaking a bit.

"You don't, you don't know... What they did to me. WHAT THEY MADE ME DO!"

He stops himself a moment before he spills his guts to Sam, rather he grabs his gear and storms out towards the garage unable to face her or himself really. He puts his shades on regardless of the fact the lighting is dim enough and gets in the elevator. When he gets inside he slumps down to the floor in a deep sigh covering his head.

"That was stupid... That was really stupid Cebra... She got to you didn't she?... The worst part is... She might be right, you don't even know anymore do you? You're just what they made you... a tool of war. But what else can you do?... What else can you do? You have no future, no past... This is your reason to exist, your only reason... Orion must die, then you can... you can sleep."

huh, Jeannie wasn't sure what all the yelling was about she fell asleep in the van waiting for Cebra.