oh no i dropped my noncon

Epilogue - 85

Originally supposed to be in the endnotes of chapter 5, then I wrote 500 words.
Concept plus actual scenes...much like chapter 1.

Hotline Miami series spoilers

Payday 2 spoilers

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NOT WRITJNG IT, NOT WRITING IT but imagine:
A few months later, if the leader ends up recovering from him overdosing.

Dallas gathers his crew again because he feels sad and lonely... Bain had said to ask for help and to trust his partners.
Actually, the man in question is more lucid now that he was pulled into that death dream they shared.
...Which is worse for him since he can see what's happening but he can't help. It's killing him inside.
He can also freely shift his appearance but he chooses to look as he did on that imaginary beach.

Anyway so the Paygang is gathered up and it's going kind of well! They get to reminisce about times they had together, about what they used to do.

Bain spots somebody unfamiliar in the crowd, a bearded man wearing thick-rimmed glasses... he's immediately set on edge. Is this a new friend of theirs? The brunet seemed to be chatting with the others. On closer inspection he's directing comments toward Jacket only.
The navigator is proud of him for acquainting himself with different people, (which makes him seem a bit like a doting mother, but what can he do?) and yet he's not responding to anything he's saying or doing.

Jacket is a heister of few words, but that was kind of rude of him to ignore his... friend. There was something wrong here.

His irises are green, he notices as the other man makes direct eye contact with him.
Bain squints at the brunet, the latter questioningly pointing to himself. The guide raises an eyebrow at the animated gestures that he was using, and that was enough of an answer for him.

He visibly rejoices, letting out a shout of triumph, and quickly skips over to talk to the navigator.
"Woah, you can see me?" he nearly exclaims, buzzing with enthusiasm. The newcomer gets a hold of himself, excitement overpowered by a sense of protection.

They seem to analyze each other, quickly gauging whether or not this man will be a threat to their charge. The brunet is wearing a casual outfit, an open collared plaid shirt with green hoodie. He had an air of friendliness, though there was an undertone of something strange. Like he'd seen things, terrible things. The ex-contractor decides that he had probably been a heister, had a military background or was an officer.

"I didn't recognize you for a second. We're in the same boat, aren't we?" the man flashes a friendly smile, holding out his hand.

Now he might've been a criminal overlord but he wasn't a delinquent; why would he refuse?
He accepts, firmly shaking the offered limb.

"They call me Bain," he greets, "but you already knew that, didn't you?" knowing that he was probably watching the team for a time.

"You're that type of person? I already like you." the brunet chuckles, pulling his arm away. A glimmer in his eye hints toward approval, a silent agreement not to argue forged between them.

"People call me Beard, it's nice to finally meet the man behind the monitor!" he chirps, happy that someone was able to interact with him. He was sharp, puzzling out things at a fast rate; all the makings on an officer, maybe? The hooded man sparkled with amusement as Bain tries to figure out where he came from.

"It's been forever since I've talked to anybody, Jacket not included. He's not the best conversationalist, but he's trying." and oh, he seems to have a few screws loose. The outgoing man sounded completely serious, just how long has he been stuck here?

"You're like an open book, I've had tons of experience in reading people. Thanks to Jacket, of course!" He felt embarrassed at that, though there was really no reason to worry. Beard reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small square piece of paper.

On further inspection, he's holding a picture of himself and a younger blond man. It looks brand new, almost as if it were taken barely a year ago. They're wearing infantry uniforms, though he doesn't exactly know. His memory is still spotty and that wouldn't change anytime soon.

"I had left this world about a year later, it was very sudden. Anyway, this is my friend! He used to smoke packs of cigarettes a day, even though I kept telling him not to. It was very unhealthy." he continues speaking, comfortable with talking about his own death. Another coping mechanism, maybe?

The most peculiar thing about the photo was that Jacket was smiling. He had only known him from the time he'd been inducted into their gang, which wasn't too long considering the past that the younger man must've shared; yet he had never once seen that expression change.

"When was this?" Bain asks, seeing that the brunet must've died maybe five years back. He didn't seem too off his rocker, and the hacker himself already feels a bit crazy after just under a year.

"This was back in..." he sobers, voice dropping to a whisper when he says, "back in '85."

The guide's eyes widen in a mix of horror and disbelief, slight shivers running up his spine. That sounded worse than whatever kind of torture he went through, barely even holding a candle to it. He's been stuck here for thirty years?!

"I'm— is there, is there anything I could do for you?" Bain shakily offers, afraid of the ramifications on his own future.

Beard thinks about it, carefully choosing something important.
"I know you're somewhat of a psychic, right? If you could find a way for me to talk to Jacket, or even just to leave...that would be great." he sags, energy completely expended. The other felt worn out, everything he ever knew had passed him by and it wasn't fun to watch his friend suffer the entire time. There was almost nothing familiar left for him, and it hurt.

"Let me see what I can do..." thoughtfully, using his skill to come up with an infamous Plan B for the soldier. He almost immediately perks up, devising a concept to help him with his situation.

"Have you ever tried...?"

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I'm not writing it! Just pretend that everything is alright, or maybe that they complete their goal.
Disregarding that Jacket is probably a clone or that they'd need outside help to be able to do it properly.

The exposition should be longer, though I wasn't meant to even think about this concept...they should've had a longer conversation!

Jacket can't see ghosts. If he had that ability, Hotline Miami 1 would've been so much different;; Beard would've been his anchor. Instead, he suffers by watching his friend close himself off more and more, until he became an empty husk who only followed orders.

Bain doesn't talk much to strangers, though Beard carries the conversation! I was gonna have them gush about their 'children' as all great parents do, but eeeehhh I probably won't write it.

Anyway you know Scarface Mansion loud? Bain comes up with throwing cars into the ocean in like 5 seconds flat. He is both chaotic and a quick thinker.