Ashe and Cassidy's Reunion: The Aftermath

Part 3: At the Deadlock HQ (Ashe)

By the time the cart had reached its destination, Ashe had long since given up trying to escape. Her head was throbbing, her wrists were chafed from trying to remove her bindings, and worst of all her pride was wounded. Now she was sitting in front of the warehouse that housed the Deadlock Headquarters. Ashe knew there was hidden cameras outside, because she'd had them put there herself. "Let me in!"she shouted in the general direction of one of the cameras. After a few seconds she heard the familiar creak of the doors opening. Two men clad in black from head to toe slowly came out. One showed no emotion on his weathered face. The other however looked a little nervous, like a puppy with its tail between its legs. "Don't just stand there! One of you idiots, untie me!"snapped Ashe impatiently.

The one with the blank face came forward brandishing a knife. He climbed onto the cart, and swiftly sliced through the rope. Ashe breathed a sigh of relief as she shook out her hands, and stood up. Then she turned to the other man, and ordered, "Go get the mechanic, and everyone who was at today's heist."

"Y-y-yes, m'am."he stammered, and then he fled the scene.

Shaking her head in disgust, Ashe picked up Bob's head. "Don't worry, Bob."she whispered, "We'll get you fixed up, and then we'll teach Cole Cassidy not to mess with the Deadlock gang." Bob gave her a look that she'd seen all too many times before. The one that meant, "I don't approve, but I'll go along with it if that's what you want." Ashe groaned, "Don't you sass me, Bob." Without waiting for the butler's response, Ashe looked up and snapped at the man who was still watching her, "Get this cart outta here!"

In a monotone he asked, "What would you like me to do with it?"

"I don't care, as long as I never have to see it again!"spat Ashe. Instead of shrinking back, the man simply nodded, and began pushing the cart away.

Tucking Bob's head under her arm, Ashe made her way through the warehouse to main dining hall. There she found, amongst the stained metal tables, the head mechanic, the nervous man, and a line of about 15 others, who looked pretty beat up from the shoot-out earlier. "I need you to fix Bob, ASAP."she said to the mechanic.

"Of course, I'll get to work on him immediately."said the mechanic taking Bob's head from Ashe. Then he left the dining hall leaving only the nervous man, and the 15 others.

"Well, well,"said Ashe surveying the gang members like bird prey. "Who would like to explain, why all of you abandoned you're leader?"she asked in a falsely sweet tone. A few members coughed and twitched, but no one said a word. "Nothin' to say? Well, now, that ain't nice, is it?"she continued on in a soft tone. "You know what else I'd like to know?" Ashe paused for emphasis, "Who dropped the grenades that Cassidy got a hold of?"

Her icy haze swept over the members. "Either someone fesses up, or I punish you all."she growled. The members glanced at each other as a tense silence filled the room. Minutes ticked by. Finally the omnic sniper piped up.

"It was him! I saw him in my scope!" The sniper pointed directly at the now shaking man, who had let her back into the warehouse. She turned to him, and pierced him with her gaze. Her blood red lips curved into vicious smile.

"Do you deny these accusations?"Ashe questioned the man.

"I-I—I, Well, um, it was an accident."he mumbled.

"Oh, only an accident?"she smiled.

"Y-y-yes, a terrible accident."he murmured.

"I suppose I won't kill you then."Ashe said as if she was bestowing mercy upon the man. "However, your actions can't go unpunished. You're on bathroom cleaning duty for the next month, and there ain't gonna be anyone else helping you."explained Ashe. The man turned slightly green, and the others in line gave him sympathetic looks.