The Smuggler & The Lone Sky Knight: A Storm Hawks Story

Chapter Four - Interrogation

After raiding Bricktop's compound, Starling tied up the unconscious Bricktop and waited for Blackjack Jet to come back. Soon enough, Blackjack Jet returns dragging the Crimson Rook Enforcer.

Starling: Have the Crystals been taken care of?

Blackjack Jet: They're wasted. Waiting for handsome over there to wake up?

Starling: This one was a piece of work.

Blackjack Jet: Pretty typical for a Wallop. Since we're a little pressed for time....

The Blizzarian smuggler walked up to the unconscious Bricktop and flicks him right between the eyes. This wakes up the Wallop criminal. As he wakes up, he finds himself tied up. He attempts to break out, but the bounds are too tight. 

Blackjack Jet: Rise and shine, sweetheart. 

Bricktop: You fucking bastards! When I get out of this, I'm gonna rip your goddamn head off!

Starling: Tell us everything you know about the Crimson Rooks. 

Bricktop: Kiss my ass! 

Starling: Wrong answer, Bricktop.

Bricktop: Oh really? I'll say it a little louder, get fucked!

As Bricktop said this, Blackjack Jet chuckles. 

Blackjack Jet: You kiss your mother with that mouth? 

Bricktop: You've got no idea who you two are fucking with! You think you can fuck with my operations and get away with it?! 

Blackjack Jet: Don't take the piss, Bricktop. We all know you're not the brightest criminal in Atmos. So just tell us what you know about the Crimson Rooks and we'll go on our merry way. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. 

In response to the smuggler's words, Bricktop spits in his face. 

Blackjack Jet: Don't say I didn't warn you.

Without warning, Blackjack Jet pulls out one of his blaster pistols and aims it at Bricktop's head. While the Wallop criminal was unfazed, Starling voiced her opinion on this. 

Starling: What the hell are you doing? 

Blackjack Jet: Speeding things up. Now, Bricktop. Tell me about this little deal you have with the Crimson Rooks. 

Bricktop: You think you scare me? Don't make me laugh!

As Bricktop calls the smuggler's bluff, Blackjack Jet fires a shot right next to Bricktop's head. This silences the room as he aims his pistol back at Bricktop's head. 

Blackjack Jet: Did that get your attention? Good. I'm going to ask you again and you're going to tell me the right answer. If you don't, well....you know what will happen. Tell us about your deal with the Crimson Rooks. 

Bricktop: All right, all right! The Crimson Rooks wanted a supply of Raw Crystals. They didn't say anything about what they were planning to do with it! Now would you please get that fucking gun out of my face?!

Blackjack Jet then turns his attention to the captured Crimson Rook enforcer.

Blackjack Jet: You got something to say about your crew? 

Crimson Rook Enforcer: I got nothing to say to you. 

Blackjack Jet: Are we really gonna play this game again?

Crimson Rook Enforcer: You may as well kill me now cause I'm not talking.

As Blackjack Jet was about to aim his pistol at the enforcer, Starling intervenes. 

Starling: Let me handle this. 

As Blackjack Jet backs off, Starling approaches the Crimson Rook enforcer. She then lifts him up by his shirt and pins him to the wall. 

Starling: What were the Crimson Rooks planning to do with those Crystals. 

Crimson Rook Enforcer: You don't scare me, Sky Knight. 

Starling says nothing as she leans in to whisper something to the enforcer's ear. The Blizzarian smuggler couldn't make out what she was saying to him. But whatever she said, it seemed to scare the enforcer. 

Crimson Rook Enforcer: Okay! Okay! I'll tell you! The Crimson Rooks were going to take the Raw Crystals and refine them into various weapons grade Crystals! 

Starling: What were they going to do after refining the Crystals? 

Crimson Rook Enforcer: They were going to take the processed Crystals to one of our safehouses on Terra Gruesomus. That's all I know! 

Satisfied with the enforcer's answer, she drops him. Blackjack Jet was impressed at how Starling was able to intimidate the enforcer into giving up the information so easily. 

Blackjack Jet: Not bad, Starling. Not bad at all. 

Starling: This mission just got more complicated. Terra Gruesomus is the most dangerous place in Atmos. It's filled with poisonous fauna, flesh-eating diseases, and shrieking nocturnal predators. 

Blackjack Jet: And also a good place for smugglers and criminals to hide out whenever the heat gets too much to handle. It's also one of the most common smuggling routes in all of Atmos as well as the most dangerous. 

Starling: Have you ever passed through?

Blackjack Jet: Once or twice. The Highway Star should be able to get us to Terra Gruesomus without much problem. 

Starling then turns her attention back to the enforcer. 

Starling: Where in Terra Gruesomus is this safehouse? 

Crimson Rook Enforcer: It's....it's deep in the jungle south of a Boghowler enclave!

Starling: Then we've got what we needed. It's time we moved on, Captain. We better move quickly before the Crimson Rooks find out something's wrong. 

Blackjack Jet: Fine by me. I was getting tired of this place anyway.

With that, Starling and Blackjack Jet left Bricktop's compound and made their way to the Highway Star. Once inside, Blackjack Jet starts up the Highway Star. As it begins to take off, Blackjack Jet becomes curious about something. 

Blackjack Jet: So what exactly did you say to that Crimson Rook? He looked like he shit himself. 

Starling: You don't want to know. 

Blackjack Jet: This job just keeps getting better and better...

With that, Blackjack Jet and Starling departed from Terra Atmosia and set out for the safehouse of the Crimson Rooks on Terra Gruesomus.