Operation Phoenix

Chapter Thirty-Six: Nine Months and the Current State, Pt 2

Rapunzel whipped the bag off of her shoulder and slammed it on the table in front of her, the soft copper light illuminated the room and swept over her in a way that reminded her of the barn back at Peak District. She opened the satchel and pulled out its contents, laying the various items across the flat top. Her fingers brushed over a few of them as she counted, making sure she'd gotten the correct amount. Twenty-six, she thought, that's perfect.

Esmerelda eyed the guns that Rapunzel displayed favorably, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. They'd successfully taken the firearms from the weapons room in New World's base, now the only thing left to do was to distribute their items to the citizens. Everything was falling into place, and Valka had to thank their lucky stars that Zel was with them to make it happen.

"Distribute them," Esmerelda ordered Robin, her eyes narrowing in a small smile, "we're getting closer."

.........

The sound of the creek next to the building did little to calm his nerves, yet he somehow found the courage to reach out and grasp the man's wrist as he turned away—as if it were a lifeline. He'd explained it all, how each step, each choice was vital to their survival but the man didn't seem to notice. He released an irritated grunt from his lips in response to young man's attempt at a beg, something he would've cast aside had it not been for the fact that the kid was practically shaking in his own grip. The kid was obviously desperate, scrabbling for whatever extra bones he could find on the floor of their metaphorical conversation. He was trying hard not to shout, they were in a small cafe after all, spending the leftover chits they had from that week on a meeting—a chance at convincing.

"Please," he pleaded, his eyes tipped in concern, waiting for a response from his old friend. "Just help us."

The man cocked his eyebrow up a moment, his mind thinking over the possibilities—the craziness, the absolute recklessness that this boy was begging for. Part of him was angry, and part of him was disappointed. He thought the kid would have a more rational mind than this—but it was very clear that he didn't. "Do you have any idea what you're asking for?" The man growled, staring his counterpart in the eye.

The boy nodded, hanging his head low as he all but closed his eyes. He knew this was dangerous, he knew it was absolutely insane and ludicrous, but he was also aware of the fact that the benefits could outweigh the short comings—given that they achieve what he was inquiring. In his quiet shame he confirmed what the man before him had asked, trying not to look utterly pathetic while doing so.

The man's lip curled into a grimace and he stared, obviously frustrated and losing patience. "I trained you," he said, his eyes narrowing, "How could you let something so trivial make you even ask for a thing like that?"

The boy's head snapped at attention, his turn to blink in a cold anger. His jaw tightened and his fingers curled tensely around his old trainer's wrist. "It's not trivial," the boy snapped, releasing the man venomously. "This has gone on for too long, it needs to end."

The trainer's eyes narrowed even further into a scowl, though he resisted the urge to grimace. "No, that's not it is it? You're doing this for one person aren't you?"

The insinuation in his voice only made the boy's eyebrows tip in a narrow glare, almost feeling the urge to spit something sarcastic at his old teacher, but he refrained. This was important, this meeting had been anticipated for some time—he'd been planning everything to lead up to this. It was critical he get this man on his side before the opening rolled over and left him helpless. He had other options he could take, but this was possibly the biggest and most beneficial of all of them. With a deep breath, the boy continued the conversation. "You're not really thinking that, are you?"