Phoenix Industries

Lori walked aimlessly down the street, hands crossed across her chest. She looked around. Where is that place? She had wanted to see Phoenix Industries; she was considering checking the place and the people out before she moved farther along her plans.

I hate this city. Lived my life in this concrete merry-go-round watching the same crimes play out over and over again. No one to trust since the dictatorship. What I needed was a drink, a holiday, a home in the country, and whole load of life insurance. All I had was a hat, a coat, and a gun.

Russell stubbed out his cigarette, slouching back in his seat. He was sitting in his office with the blinds pulled down, and it reeked of cigarette smoke. He was flat broke and out of work. He went to his pocket for a pack of gum instead of lighting another cigarette, but he was all out, of both smokes and gum.

"God damnit," he muttered, going out for a to walk to the shop. He brought his jacket with him for once, perching his hat firmly on his head.

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OOC: Private Eye Monologues!

Dexter walked past Lori, her steps rather forced. She was still rather annoyed with Victoria, but she needed to focus on the task at hand. This mission is going to be a piece of cake, she thought, resting her umbrella on her shoulder. Maybe by the time she got back, that stupid Victoria would have passed the physical exam.

Russell roamed the streets, looking at all the citizens passing by. They were like sheep, he reflected, and he was dismayed at the way this country was turning out.

Dexter raised an eyebrow as she noticed Russell, oddly dressed in gray rather than the standard beige uniform. She curiously approached him, leaving her umbrella at her side. "Hello, comrade..." she greeted, before cautioning. "I don't know if you're new here, but you may want to change your attire before the police arrest you."

"Forgot about that," Russell cursed under his breath, the realisation only further bringing home how much of a state Baiyu was in. "Back when I was on the force, I got to wear the police uniform when I was out. Still adjusting, I appreciate the warning."

"You're welcome," Dexter nodded politely, memorizing the man's facial features. He was interesting, perhaps she'd follow him after the mission. If she could find him, that was. "Have a nice day," she stated politely, before walking off.

"Adios," Russell replied, heading into a shop, and ignoring all the nervous looks he got. He bought his smokes and chewing gum, and after an agonising second, he caved and took a cigarette.

There was somethin' weird about that dame, I knew from the moment I saw her. She stood out from the crowd, and it wasn't just that she had a wacky coat, either. And that umbrella. Speakin' of which, why did she even have that umbrella? It hadn't rained all day, and it wasn't forecasted to rain any time soon. I remember thinking I had to look into that albino.

Jack walked down the street, passing Dex as he headed toward his job, not yet knowing who she was, but noting how she stood out among the crowd. If he hadn't seen a ring on her finger, he'd have gone talk to her.

Victoria took the lightpost, and bashed it against another robot's side, knowing impaling it wouldn't work anymore.

OOC: What? Isn't there supposed to be LIGHT in an arena?

OOC: Yeah. Like from the ceiling. xD

The fourth robot was slammed against the wall with a sickening crunch, only one remaining. The last robot continued to shoot at Victoria as if nothing was wrong.

Victoria dropped the lightpost, and ran at it with nothing. The only cards she really had left to play were her friends Bert and Ernie. She threw a roundhouse kick to the last robot's head.

Jack soon approached the target building. A heavily guarded Research Facility, which was officially funded by the Dictator himelf. Inside was his target, locked within a heavily guarded vault, fifty feet below the building.

Jack smiled as he turned the corner into a back alley, and somehow seemed to disappear off the face of the Earth.

Time to get to work.

The robot's head went flying across the stadium, and applause could be heard over the loudspeaker. "Good job," Vlad commented. "Congratulations."

---

Dexter, unaware of Jack, headed towards the Research Facility, as she was supposed to gain intelligence on one of the new developing products.

Victoria grinned, swiping the sweat off of her forehead with her good arm. "Thank God." she muttered. "Does this mean I'm in?" she called up to the loudspeaker.

As he walked towards the Research Facility, he once again noticed Dex, and frowned. Something was up, and it might be worth looking into. After the job, he decided, he'd find out what she was doing.

He then phased through the wall, no one seeing him do so, as he began his heist through the facility.

Dexter smiled politely as she entered the building, unlike Jack, having to charm her way to her goal.

Jack rushed through the halls, swiping a security card off a clueless guard, just in case, before approaching a guarded door to the stairs that lead to the vault. He frowned as he walked right on through.

He hated going onmissions where he had to rely heavily on the mask. He prefered to do it the old fashion way, and use the mask in case of an emergency. But he couldn't take risks like that here, especially considering who was associated with the facility.

Dexter frowned. For a second she had thought she'd seen something...no. She was probably just being driven to insanity by Bee again. She'd have to ask Vlad to monitor her sanity levels once she got back to the building.

She continued walking tapping her umbrella against the ground in agitation.

Some of the guards looked at her strangely, wondering who she was, and why she was here.

---

Jack reached the safe, walking through it to find his target: A red ruby.From what the intel said, this ruby was a powerfully destructive magical item, and they were currently studying it, and using the data to manufacture new, more powerful weapons.

It would cost a fortune on the blackmarket, and he just knew that the country would be better off with the ruby away from the Dictator's forces.

Dexter scowled at the guards, flashing her Phoenix Industries badge. This was a scheduled appointment, after all, she was simply doing a little...extra research. The ruby would be a good thing to have on their side, and if she could figure out a way to bypass the security system...

The guards backed off, and soon a man in a white coat came over to meet her. "We've been expecting you."

---

Jack approached the ruby cautiously. There was a possibility that removing it could cause some problems, if the security system was good enough.

But he needed to move fast, as he still had a time limit.

"Well, let's get on with it then. I have several other errands to run, I don't need to waste my time with idle chitchat and meaningless precautions," Dexter stated coldly, tapping her umbrella against the ground again.

The whitecoat nodded, before bringing her to a secure observation room. On the wall was a glass window to another room, where a srange machine sat.

Victoria looked up at the ceiling again. "HEY!" she screamed. "AM I IN?!