a thief's tale

pilot

-
pilot.

Paradise Lounge.

It still stank of liquor and marinated sweat as I pushed and shoved my way towards the restrooms. I typically avoided crowded scenes like this, but that message was pretty clear. Men's restroom. 2am. And I'm not the type to be late. As I finally made my entrance in the restroom, I was greeted by a variety of familiar faces along with a couple of strange ones. Ajay Che, Octane and Mirage, a couple of young kids who saw the games as nothing short of a getaway from their former lives. I would never admit, but I've won a couple of games thanks to that dimwitted-goofus. Saved my life a couple of times even.

That's besides the point. I face 3 unfamiliar faces, staring back at me. Some I recognize as legends, and others that I rather be pointing the end of a gun barrel towards. There was one person in the center of it all who really set off my need to squeeze a trigger. She stood tall with an arrogant smirk on her face, with the audacity to shoot me a smile. I glared at her and the other FNGS. God, it was a mistake to leave my P2020 at home.

"Welcome, right on time." The mysterious women checked a nonexistent watch on her wrist before shaking her head

"Tsk. Tsk. However, you being on time is parallel to being late." She pointed her finger at Mirage, pointing it back at me, "catch up the Military brat, I have something to take care of."

"On it faster than I can say bam-boo... bam-" Mirage let out a nervous laugh before nodding away his shame. The mysterious women left the bathroom, leaving me subject to a bunch of dimwits. I took position on the wall, listening in on the convo being had by the dimension jumper and Mirage in the corner.

"This is so stupid! Are we even get paid to do this? Wraith, Is this even legal?" Mirage huffed, swinging his arms up and down.

"What does it matter if it's legal, we already retrieved what she asked for." Wraith answered, seemingly uninterested.

"Yea, but we pull her out the Salvage and this is the thanks we get? If I was found in a bundle of bones and dirt, I wouldn't treat my saviors like lapdogs."

"You're in a bad mood."

"What? Yeah. N-no! Am not! What do you know!" Mirage let out a defeated sigh

"More than you might know." Wraith being cryptic as always. Tuh. Always wondered her reasons for entering the Apex games, but asking would be a pointless mind game that I rather not play.

"Oh brother, here it comes. 189 Reasons why aaaall the different versions of myself are burned out." Mirage crossed his arms, childishly poking his bottom lip out, forcing a poor attempt at a poker face as he handed Wraith something I didn't catch. I keep listening and watching them out the corner of my eye.

"Only need one reason.... Loba knows..." I didn't catch the last part of what Wraith said, but judging by Mirage's reaction it wasn't something pleasant. I took mental note of the named Wraith stated earlier. It's good to do some extra research on her later. Ajay Che seemed to be listening too, as she chimed into the conversation.

"She knew 'bout my parents too! She know how I feel 'bout em, and I don't go spreadin' that. I think she got dirt on all of us." If what Che said was true, then that's not good. I can't have some FNG walking around with intel on me. It's what I'd do if I was studying the enemy.

The Big guy decorated in hazard wraps shuffled up a little too, breathing irregularly with a gas mask that seemed merged onto his face, "She is similarly aware of the allegations against me- all patently false and absurd. Of course. These cretins continue to mistake me for a corpse is preposterous!" Didn't know much about him before, but if I was a Judge on his trial; that testimony would have landed him in a chair. One which sparked like Nat's fences. I made a mental note of the nameplate on his bodysuit. Caustic. Another name on my list.