Kintsugi Plays Fallen Hero: Retribution (ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ …(^_^)…)

Networking is Barbara's strong suit. And doing as we're told has never been ours.​

> I will go as Barbara, I'm more confident in that body.

Barbara has advantages you do not. Confidence. Looks. The ability to make people trust her. When inside her body, you know you can talk people into anything.

Confidence.

The thought of walking in there wearing your own face makes you wince. You need a mask to be effective. Josie Jacobs lives in the shadows. If you are going to reveal yourself at some point, it will be on your own terms.

Not called out like this.

> Here We Go

Monday night, Parkfield Club, downtown Los Diablos.

Time to sink or swim.

The music embraces you as Barbara steps up to the club. The rhythmic thump of the beat puts a swing in your step as you gather confidence around you like a cloak. You could die tonight, but at least you'd look fabulous doing it. Or rather, Barbara would.

Parkfield is a notoriously hip club, trendy, dangerous, and only staying open thanks to enough bribes to launch a battleship. Well, that is a small exaggeration; fear might have something to do with it. Fear of the person rumored to own the place. Hollow Ground. You saw this sign on Ortega's board, thick lines connecting it to people of importance.

You have no issues getting through the door. Barbara never does. She's the ideal guest, attracting others by her sheer presence. Just wear a smile and put some extra swagger in your walk, and you're let inside, the volume loud enough that you can feel it in your guts.

Loud enough to cover any screams from downstairs.

You'd better stay on your toes. Who knows what will happen? Barbara is at risk here, but the decision is already made.

You're trusting that your looks will keep you safe. Beautiful women are valuable, most men think twice about killing what they might possess. It might not protect them from bodily harm or worse, but death is generally not the first option. You can deal with the others.

Leaving the upstairs dance floors behind, you head downstairs to the bar where you were instructed to wait. You're early; it never pays to be late on these occasions.

　‣ I'll have a drink at the bar to calm me down.
　‣ I'll use the time to check for emergency exits.
　‣ I sit down and do some people watching.

Spoiler: Show Stats

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate. They are a known killer.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 5% / Fine: 95%
████████████████████

Leadership: 63%
████████████▒███████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 28% / Anonymity: 72% (+6)
█████▒██████████████
Ruthlessness: 40% / Empathy: 60%
████████████████████
Daring: 51% / Caution: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 78%
███████████████▒████

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 66%
█████████████▒██████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 60%
████████████████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Friendly.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 72%
██████████████▒█████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Friends.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 67%
█████████████▒██████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

I think emergency exits - it'd be helpful to know who else is here, but if we HAVE to make a run for it there'll be enough problems without needing to find an exit in the moment.

 

First things first: what's our exit strategy?​

> I'll use the time to check for emergency exits.

The downstairs is quieter, no dancing here, but the music reverberates through the building. Comfortable booths. Elegant tables. The bar is longer than it needs to be; the barstools are the kind where you can perch comfortably. The people down here are older, more grizzled than the crew you pushed through to get here.

And they are looking at you.

Ordering a drink for camouflage, you look around the room for a place to sit down. Or rather, you go through the motions of looking for someone while taking note of the exits and doors. The stairs go back up. No other emergency signs are marked, but there are doors here. One behind the bar, probably a small kitchen. One at the end, small and unmarked. A third in the wall facing the bar marked Private. The tables next to it give you the feeling that the people sitting there are goons. Guards.

Answer: not looking great.​

"Excuse me?" You hadn't noticed the woman until she spoke to you, which is never a good sign. Professional. She's short, almost petite, older than her clothes imply. High heels and a patient smile, wrinkles hidden under meticulous makeup. Not a mod. At least not a visible one.

"I'm here for a meeting," you say because you can see the question in her eyes. "I was told to wait at the downstairs bar."

"Of course." She nods, motioning for you to follow. "Right this way."

She shows you through the door marked Private opposite the bar, it opens quietly, and you get the impression that while the surface is veneer, the core might be steel.

The click as it closes behind you is ominous.

"Just straight through here." She leads you down a corridor, with polished red concrete floors and walls hung with prints. You wish you didn't get the feeling that this is an easy place to hose down if needed.

"Are you joining us?" You try for friendly conversation.

"Oh no, I'm not privy to their secrets," she says with no small amount of bitterness. Interesting. "I'll be waiting out here just in case my talents are needed. Go right ahead." She gestures to the door at the far end. Unmarked.

　‣ I step through it confidently.
　‣ I open it with a nervous breath.
　‣ I take a moment to steady myself, then go through.

Here goes.​

Spoiler: Show Stats

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate. They are a known killer.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 5% / Fine: 95%
████████████████████

Leadership: 63%
████████████▒███████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 28% / Anonymity: 72%
█████▒██████████████
Ruthlessness: 40% / Empathy: 60%
████████████████████
Daring: 46% / Caution: 54% (+5)
█████████▒██████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 78%
███████████████▒████

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 66%
█████████████▒██████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 60%
████████████████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Friendly.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 72%
██████████████▒█████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Friends.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 67%
█████████████▒██████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

I vote confidence, showing any nerves or lack of composure seems like a bad start to the meeting.

 

This is not the time to project weakness. Luckily, confidence is what Barbie does best.​

> I step through it confidently.

You've come this far. No reason to hesitate now. Smile on, shoulders back, and you step through the door with your head held high.

Let's do this.

The room is surprisingly intimate, not exactly an office, not exactly a lounge. There's no desk but a low, rounded table that holds bottles and glasses enough for the small group there. It's surrounded by comfortable leather chairs. It's dark, lit by colored lamps along the walls, wrapping everything but the center table in kaleidoscopic shadows. It smells like expensive cigars and sandalwood, the rotating fans in the ceiling wrapping smoke around them, adding to the light haze in the room.

There are three people here, but only one you know. Jake is lounging at the back, leaning against the wall, but he is obviously not the important one here. No, that would be the one seated in the center chair, a tall, middle-aged person that you assume is the one the woman outside was talking about. At least you know their pronouns. One less thing to accidentally offend them with. They are clad in an immaculate rust-colored suit, and their dark brown hair is cropped short and wild, showing off ears lined with rows of rings, each of them slightly different in style. Mixed if you had to hazard a guess. Hollow Ground? Most likely.

Their hands are folded together, fingers ringed as well, legs stretched out under the table. There's a haunting similarity to their face, not like looking into a mirror, but if you squint, you could see yourself there. They are older than you, older than Ortega? Maybe. Probably. It's hard to tell with the style they have adopted, the tailored suit proclaiming authority while the piercings scream disdain for the same.

Lounging next to them on the wide armrest is a beautiful woman, dark skin, golden eyes, and an equally golden robe that spills over the dark leather. It's thin enough to reveal the reinforced skinsuit beneath it, but she's wearing enough jewelry that you doubt she's dressed for a fight.

"I thought my invitation made it clear that this was a meeting in person." Fingers lacing together and loosening again, a soft clickety-clack from the rings as they talk, the words tumbling out like spikes. "Not with flunkies."

　‣ I take a seat, smiling confidently. "I'm not a flunky."
　‣ I remain standing, resolute. "I'm not a flunky."
　‣ "I'm sorry, my boss doesn't meet in person," I say nervously.

Spoiler: Show Stats

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate. They are a known killer.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 5% / Fine: 95%
████████████████████

Leadership: 63%
████████████▒███████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 28% / Anonymity: 72%
█████▒██████████████
Ruthlessness: 40% / Empathy: 60%
████████████████████
Daring: 51% (+5) / Caution: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 78%
███████████████▒████

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 66%
█████████████▒██████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 60%
████████████████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Friendly.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 72%
██████████████▒█████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Friends.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 67%
█████████████▒██████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Oh, we're sitting down, no waiting for permission to sit.

 

Spoiler: alt route spoilers

fascinated to see that HG mimics the appearance and pronouns of your pc regardless of how you build them. narratively necessary maybe, but also a delight. I am still barking and howling for the next installment.

big agree on continuing the confidence choice, and also setting barbie up as another mask layer.

 

Spoiler

I do especially love playing NB characters for this reason. :D ~Diversity win: the ruthless mob boss who rules this city from the shadows is nonbinary!~

HG isn't the only character pegged to the player's customization choices (see also Anathema, who always shares the MC's gender and even their neopronouns), but they might be the only one whose appearance is partly based on them?

(FYI to onlookers: there are no plot spoilers under these cuts, just details that are less obvious from a single playthrough.)

 

We figure the "make yourself at home" was implied. :)​

> I take a seat, smiling confidently. "I'm not a flunky."

You take a seat, uninvited. Confidence is what you need here. "I'm not a flunky," you say, watching the way one pierced eyebrow is raised in disbelief. "My boss doesn't meet in person. I'm their mouthpiece." You try to keep your voice as sweet as honey, your body language confident but demure. Have them see you as a person, not an object. As an asset, not a threat. Another reason you sat down.

"I'm not used to being snubbed…." Hollow Ground makes a vague gesture, and Jake takes a step forward.

"Barbara." It's Jake, looking at you with the thinnest of smiles through the haze.

"It's not a snub," you protest, doing your best to sound convincing. You find yourself eager to placate this unsmiling, middle-aged crime boss in their expensive suit. There is something unnervingly familiar about their controlled face, and even without your telepathy, the hairs on your arms stand on end. "My boss simply has certain issues with meeting in person."

"Issues?" The woman draped over Hollow Ground speaks for the first time, voice low and amused. Where Hollow Ground is whiskey-gravel, her voice is milk and honey. Not a West Coast accent. Midwest. Chicago?

"The armor stays on," you clarify, wondering if Hollow Ground can smell your lies. They are too calm, too focused. If they snapped, you imagine it wouldn't be pretty. "Which makes a meeting like this complicated."

"Why?" Their fingers lace together again, rings clicking.

　‣ "Quite frankly, trust. A secret identity is important."
　‣ "I'm not sure. I've never seen their face myself."
　‣ "A life support system, they have no choice."

So what's our angle here?​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate. They are a known killer.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 5% / Fine: 95%
████████████████████

Leadership: 63%
████████████▒███████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 28% / Anonymity: 72%
█████▒██████████████
Ruthlessness: 40% / Empathy: 60%
████████████████████
Daring: 51% / Caution: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 78%
███████████████▒████

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 66%
█████████████▒██████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 60%
████████████████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Friendly.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 72%
██████████████▒█████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Friends.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 67%
█████████████▒██████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Hm
I like the misdirect of the life support system, and it could seem like we're offering a potential weakness as a sign of trust. It could also mean they target Anathema in a way that won't work because they're mistaken. The risk is that they detect the lie, but I think Barbara can fool anyone who doesn't themselves have telepathic access (and Josie's shields might block that anyways, I'm not sure how they work when in Barbara)

 

2 or 3. can. can we convince HG we're pulling a darth vader. that would be hilarious.

 

We don't retain access to Josie's telepathy after exiting their body, so right now we're presumably limited to whatever defenses we can muster as Barbie. (That's not nothing — as we've seen, some non-telepaths have better defenses/filters than others — but it's not comparable to what Josie can do.)

 

I see... well, the Darth Vader route will be great if we can pull it off!

 

> "A life support system, they have no choice."

"A life support system," you lie. "They have no choice."

"Really?" Hollow Ground sounds amused. "How sad." You get the impression that they don't believe you.

We find your lack of faith disturbing. :(​

"I don't ask questions." You swallow hard, trying to sound as convincing as you can. "I go where they tell me to."

"Even if that's to your death?"

"What do you mean?" You glance over at Jake, who has been moving along the side wall until he's standing right behind you. "I'm here in good faith."

"And Anathema is playing games with me." Hollow Ground leans forward, eyes narrowing. "I don't take kindly to that."

"This is not a game," you start, interrupted by Jake's hand on your shoulder. "I swear."

"Oh, I believe you." A theatrical pause as you try not to squirm. "You're not the one I have an issue with. Just your boss. But since you are here as their representative…" Jake's hand grips you harder, making sure you don't move.

　‣ "We can talk about this," I say, reasonably.
　‣ "I can be useful," I plead.
　‣ "So this is it? You're going to take it out on me?"

(I don't think they bought it, guys.)​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate. They are a known killer.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 5% / Fine: 95%
████████████████████

Leadership: 63%
████████████▒███████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 28% / Anonymity: 72%
█████▒██████████████
Ruthlessness: 40% / Empathy: 60%
████████████████████
Daring: 51% / Caution: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 78%
███████████████▒████

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 66%
█████████████▒██████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 60%
████████████████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Friendly.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 72%
██████████████▒█████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Friends.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 67%
█████████████▒██████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

yeah that went about as well as I thought it would lmao

tentative vote for >3 but I'm down for any of em tbh

 

I like 3 as the slightly confrontational "oh, so that's it? You're wasting our time just like that?"

 

Well I hope Barbara isn't about to die but if she is then "You're going to kill me? Cringe." would make great last words.

...I hope Josie doesn't die if someone they're bodyjacking dies.

 

Really, dude? "Shoot the messenger"? That's seriously the best you've got?​

> "So this is it? You're going to take it out on me?"

"So this is it?" You don't bother to hide the anger in your voice. "You're going to take it out on me?"

"I'm glad we're on the same page here." Hollow Ground keeps looking at you, brown eyes cold and hard. "And I'm sure that is exactly why your boss sent you here."

"What are you going to do with me?"

"You'll live." The way they say that doesn't sound at all reassuring. "I'll need you to carry a message back."

"What message?" you hiss through gritted teeth.

"That my orders are to be obeyed." Words rough and hard like bricks in an earthquake. "Tomorrow, the same time. They better come in person."

"Understood." You bite back a gasp as Jake forces your arm up behind your back. "Anything else?"

"Tell them that they'd better bring a gift to make up for wasting my time."

"Should I give her the usual send-off, boss?" Jake is holding you securely, enough pressure on your arm to almost break it.

"Of course. Wouldn't give the right message otherwise." Hollow Ground gives you a probing look. "I leave it to your discretion."

"It's your call." Jake pulls you back, shoving you roughly toward the door.

"Wait!" you gasp, but it doesn't sound like anybody is interested in hearing your story.

"Might wanna save the begging," Jake hisses as he pushes you out into the corridor. "Easier on the dignity."

　‣ To hell with dignity, I try to get away.
　‣ I keep my composure, waiting for my chance.
　‣ I make a final threat as I leave.

This "friendly" chat is rapidly becoming a "friendly" "chat". :|​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy
Strength of Mind: 50%
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Subtle Manipulations: 74%
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Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate. They are a known killer.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
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Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 5% / Fine: 95%
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Leadership: 63%
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Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 28% / Anonymity: 72%
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Ruthlessness: 40% / Empathy: 60%
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Daring: 51% / Caution: 49%
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Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 78%
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Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 63%
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Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 66%
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Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
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Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 60%
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Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Friendly.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 72%
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Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Friends.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 67%
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Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Maybe we can bring a gift that is a bomb :/

 

Ugh well we definitely need to get away... but it might be better to wait for a better opportunity than trying to bolt out of their basement. My guess is there's only one exit here (all our looking for exits was on the upper level, too) so the odds of getting away are bad.