ROGUE RUNNER

Chapter 7: regroup

1:30pm.

Alexander, Vinci, Carmen and Vox are healing up in the safe house living room.

Alexander: how's that wound holding up?

Vinci: I've survived worse. How about you?

Alexander: I've been shot In worse areas before.

Vinci: I don't need to know...

They both look at each other a laugh.

Meanwhile, Vox and Carmen are talking on the other side of the room.

Vox: looks like they've got history.

Carmen: you have no idea.

Vox: how far back do they go?

Carmen: a little over 10 years, I think.

Vox: jeez, that's a long time to keep ties with a mobster and live to talk about it.

Carmen: Alex and Vinci have a mutual understanding with each other. Alex does jobs for him as long as the victims actually deserve it.

Vox: and how does one decide that?

Carmen: how does the justice system decide who goes on death row?

Vox: by looking at the crime and deciding wether or not the person responsible can be redeemed or not.

Carmen: well, if a judge can decide who lives or dies, maybe people like us can too.

Vox: it's not that simple, you know?

Carmen: isn't it? I don't mean anything, but don't you realize the world isn't black and white?

Vox: of course I do.

Carmen: then you should know that if Alex deserves jail time, then so do you.

Vox: how do you figure that?

Carmen: Alex only kills criminals, same as you.

Vox: bullshit.

Carmen: ask Marino if you don't believe me, because that's their agreement.

Vox: I'm sorry, but you're really gonna compare me to a mercenary?

Carmen: how many people have you killed since you found us?

Vox: a lot, but they were all criminals.

Carmen: exactly. So we're the ones WE killed. Wanna lock us up? Put yourself in the cell next to us.

Vox: if that's so true, how do you explain Mark Jefferson, Albert Smith and Tucker Jacobs? All innocent people who were suddenly murdered and all of their deaths were connected to Rogue.

Carmen: Mark Jefferson was an arms dealer posing as a pawn shop owner. Albert smith physically abused 3 young women whilst working at an orphanage, and Tucker Jacobs was a corrupt cop who was secretly helping the drug trade.

Vox: if he was a cop, that means he was working for Vinci. Why would Vinci place a kill order on his own guy?

Carmen: because, Vinci specifically told his men not to deal in drugs and this guy did it anyway. Vinci decided to make an example out of him. So there, no one is innocent as you think they are.

Alexander: okay, if everyone is done licking their wounds, it's time to make a plan!

Vinci: I've already warned the chief of police, they'll be ready to help us.

Vox: seriously?!

Vinci: yes, I still own them, ya know?

Vox: then why didn't you just let us go there?

Vinci: because it's the first place they'd find us.

Vox: no way, the station is secure.

Vinci: I wouldn't be so sure, kid...

Vox: why's that?

Vinci: my men have informed me that they're tracking multiple vehicles in a convoy formation heading towards the precinct. Plus, before he hung up, the chief told me something didn't look good outside.

Vox: shit! They're attacking the precinct! We need to help them!

Vinci: that's what they want us to do.

Vox: what?

Vinci: Casper about our ties to the precinct. You work there and I have them on payroll. They also know that Rogue is with us. If they draw us out, they draw him out.

Carmen: so it's a trap?

Vox: trap or not, I need to help them! Wether you're with me or not!

Vinci: I never said I wasn't with you... I was only gonna suggest we bring the right manpower...

Vox: we have plenty of weapons and armor already, we'll be fine.

Vinci: I said "manpower", not "firepower".

Vox: what's that mean?

Vinci: look outside...

They open the front door and find several black armored SUV's parked outside with tons of Marino's men standing beside them in the street.

Vinci: now that is manpower!

Vox: holy shit...

Alexander: I think we're ready.

Carmen: then let's go then!