A Man of Honor.

Chapter 44: Let's get back on track, brother.

"A lot of people had to die for me to be me." ~ Frank Costello.

Saphron look another sip of the coffee listening to Cardin describe the experience of moving through that maze of that brick factory gunning down anyone that got in his way. Strangely enough his depiction of the events trying to locate her brother didn't bother her as much as she had expected them to.

Perhaps Jaune's own admissions of murder had numbed her a little. But a part of her wondered if she was so calm listening to Cardin dishing out violence was more palpable to her because he was doing it in the service of her brother. To save him from people that were dealing out equal if not more horrific punishments.

But that was shocking in it's own right. As Cardin described torturing Alexi and his men, of how Neo burned his feet and legs to a crisp, of how the twins brutalized the others and continued to do so for every bit of information they could. Saphron noticed a feeling of cold pleasure deep inside of her.

They deserved it, didn't they?

It was a horrid thought to cross her mind but Saphron could only quietly contemplate the question as she drank her coffee. The people Cardin had hurt and killed had done worse to her brother and others, so it was hard to feel particularly sorry for them.

But the more she tried to rationalize such death and brutality the worse she felt. In less than a night she had gone from horror at her own brother killing the worst kind of lowlifes to mentally rooting for Cardin as he went on a bloody vengeful path to save her brother.

She decided that it was best not to dwell on it too much. And thankfully she didn't have to as Jaune stepped into the kitchen with Neo.

"I thought that we were going to take a break." Jaune said, stepping inside and opening the cabinet for a coffee mug so he could pour himself a cup of the rejuvenating brew.

"Sorry boss... I just thought she'd want to hear a bit from my side." Cardin told him looking into his own steaming cup with a sigh.

"It's alright, I kept asking him questions and he was just answering them." Saphron assured her brother. She watched as the girl Neo opened the door to the freezer and grabbed a tub of ice cream, a couple of tubs in fact. She moved the frozen treats to the counter and picked out a bowl, scooping out cold treats and dropping them in a bowl as Jaune made his coffee next to her.

They looked at each other for a moment and shared a kiss. It was sweet. It was so hard for Saphron to imagine this short sweet looking girl as a killer, as someone who could just pick up a blowtorch and torture someone.

But again she found herself coldly comfortable with the thought. She had to suppress a shiver.

If someone had taken her brother would she do any less to get him back safe and sound? She didn't think she had the stomach for such things herself but a part of her wanted to believe that she would do anything to protect her family. She supposed the only real difference is that Cardin and Neo actually were capable of doing anything for their family.

"Well I hope he spared you some of the more gruesome details." Jaune said averting his eyes from her as he sat down with his cup of coffee, Saphron looked at the mug and found that it said "World's Best Boss." In gold colored letters. It was actually kind of funny when she thought about it.

Cardin looked away from her again and she shook her head. "He didn't... and that's fine Jaune... you said you wanted me to understand the truth and hard as it is I have to hear this."

He nodded to her before blowing a bit on his coffee and taking a long sip. Neo sat down with her bowl of ice cream and a spoon.

Saphron looked at her and she smiled before signing something to her. The short girl looked rather awkward to her.