Dreams Don't Always Go To Plan (Handsome Jack x Reader) (NEW & REVISED VERSION)

Ch 30: The Man In Blue

Rhys sat nearby, talking through a call with a man he'd gotten in contact with after returning from the vault. The visions of the relic may have given him an idea of how to get everything going, but figuring out the details was a bit trickier.

This man, who you'd only heard of in passing before, was quite wealthy and was a well known shareholder, investor, and sponsor of a few different companies. Jack had never worked with him, didn't need to. In fact, that was the only reason you knew who he was now. He'd tried plenty of times to get Jack to sign a deal with him, but as always - Jack would basically laugh, and end whatever type of call they were having.

"I'm not signing a deal with some asshole that works with Maliwan and Torgue. Maliwan are a bunch war hippies...and I just really can't take Torgue seriously. Besides he sold his company for like $12.... I mean, what kind of idiot does that? "

Edward Gilman was his name. He wasn't the friendliest of men, but he loved money - and if you could make him lots of money, he loved you. As soon as Rhys explained that he now owned Atlas and wanted to start it up again, Mr. Gilman was heavily intrigued.

"Do you know how many people would buy a brand new Atlas gun even if it was complete shit? A lot. That's how many!" You could hear the older man rambling on from across the room.

"Well yes sir, but I don't want to make shitty weapons. I want Atlas to-" Rhys tried to interject, but was quickly cut off.

"Nah nah nah. That doesn't matter right now. What matters is getting you set up somewhere better. Where you can really shine. Where I- I mean you , can make some money. Now let's see..." Mr. Gilman trailed off in thought with a small hum.

Rhys glanced over to you. You motioned for him to go ahead. The two of you had talked about all of this already. Get in touch with Gilman - tell him about Atlas - see if he's interested - and bring up Promethea.

That was the problem in all of this. Rhys knew he could completely rebuild Atlas once in Promethea. He'd seen that much. What he hadn't seen - is how he'd get there to begin with.

Rhys cleared his throat. "What um- what about Promethea? That's where Atlas originated and-"

"Ha! Kid, if I could get you a spot on Promethea - I would, but ehh.... Ya know, actually... I have a small branch of Maliwan out there. Sold 'em an old area in the city - gave 'em a few years to make somethin' of it, but they really haven't. Been using it as warehouse or somethin'. I didn't worry too much about it, didn't have any other buyers lookin at it - but if you started selling Atlas guns - new Atlas guns on Promethea...where it all started. They'd sell better than those damn Geisha Bots everyone wanted a few years back." He paused for a moment. "Give me a few days and I'll get back to ya. See what I can do. Out."

The call ended, and Rhys looked over again. A small smile starting rising on his lips as he stood. He stretched his arms out and then his back. That call had been going for quite awhile - even you were getting stiff just sitting there.

"You think this is the way?" You asked watching him stretch.

He finished up, giving a shrug. "It's a way. If it works..."

"Guess we'll see in a few days." You added - picking up your work and heading out of the room.

A long few days, it was. You'd watched Rhys pace just about every room in the facility. He also kept an extra ECHO on him just in case the one literally inside of him somehow missed Gilman's call.

You'd basically continued doing what you usually did. It was a bit more difficult to concentrate. Every so often, Rhys would wander in through the door - absentmindedly look around at everything, give you a thin smile, and head back out - until a few minutes later when his pacing would carry him back in.