level_act32side_07_beg

Sir, all ceremony attendees are under our control now, and Reynell has been secured on his balcony.

Good. Are our reinforcements in position?

Fifteen trucks are parked outside the gallery perimeter.

You don't need me to tell you what to do next.

Sir!

Remember, tell those huasos not to wreck the art as they load it on the trucks.

If anyone damages a single piece, I'll take a finger off them.

Roger.

Oh, also, don't forget to confiscate the terminals off those pampered shits.

And any belongings they have on them, I'm assuming we also...

Hmph. You get it, I like that.

I don't care how you handle the people, but the art, you use a feather touch on that.

Go. I still need to see Señor Reynell about something.

Good morning. Nice view of the sunrise?

Sorry, you're far too cultured for that. I should be asking you if it's 'beautiful,' no?

The silent treatment? If you think you're any safer for it, you're gravely mistaken.

But let's get on topic, which is that I have no topic for you. All you need to do is sit here, behave, and act like you're a victim of a terror attack.

—That's what you're casting me as?

Oh, look at that. You do have a mouth.

Sorry, my fault. I thought you'd seen through something or other, but then I thought a little more, and no, this is just the coincidental idiotic concoction of a man blinded by greed.

How about that? Upstanding airs a moment ago, and now you're starting to lose your temper.

No, I have no complaints at all regarding this coincidence. Because I've come to see it for what it is, simply the finishing touch on my final creation—

And of course, because it was coincidence and not your intention, I thank Lady Luck before you, Captain.

Excellent. Now shut up.

Sir, Sir!

What? Intruders?

No, actually, it's...

We'd better talk inside.

Papá, did we get the date wrong or what?

Impossible. Look at the scene—a crowd was here just moments ago. Something happened.

So someone saw us, reported to Reynell, and he ran back inside the gallery?

This isn't Reynell's MO. Supposing he did know we were coming, he might be outraged, or excited, but he'd never turn tail and run.

So what is this...?

Huh? A terminal? Is that mine?

Hello? Ernesto?

Speaking.

How's it going? Getting somewhere with your personal business?

Arleta, notify the street art people not to go near the Galería, at least for today.

What? Why?

They've planted a huge amount of Originium explosives in there, ready to blow at any time.

Originium what?

Eheh... ahaha...

Arleta, I don't like the sound of that laugh. Where <i>are</i> you?

Me, Ela's gang, Tecno, Diaz, the artists... everyone's in the plaza in front of the gallery right now.

So why don't you get out of there, fast?

Sorry, bro, but I've got a few questions for you too.

Ernesto, why are you this clued in? Where are <i>you?</i>

Cool, got it. Tell me every last piece of information you have, Ernesto.

Arleta!

Or else I'm going in to save you like I don't know a damned thing.

Pelotudo!

I tell you to make sure your men don't wreck the artwork, and you proceed to ruin one personally!

Sir, just hear me out! Inside that pitcher I broke, there was a... a...

...An Originium bomb.

A what?

And it's—it's not even the only one!

I spotted a suspicious wall in the stairwell, like it was freshly plastered over, which didn't seem right...

So you broke the wall down? And there were bombs there too?

Not bombs, they were... detonation controller nodes... which means there's more than one detonator, and there could be more explosives than we know.

—That's what you're casting me as?

I thought you'd seen through something or other, but then I thought a little more, and no, this is just the coincidental idiotic concoction of a man blinded by greed.

(Deep breath)

Sir, these things could level the whole gallery! And we don't even know how they detonate! It could be manual or timed!

Let's load everything as fast as we can, take the cash of the rich guys, and call it here!

You're ready to just walk away?

The bombs are inside the Galería! Ready or not isn't the question here, sir!

If we don't pull this off, we'll be public enemies of the Coalition government and Dossoles!

All we have to do is run! They won't catch us!

Run where? Into the wilds? Hand a couple hundred gold certificates to each man and disband? What have we been risking our lives for?

No—Sir, I'm serious, if worst comes to worst we can ditch the country as mercenaries—or bandits!

Bandits?

I... I'm just supposing, my point is we don't have to play along with Reynell's insanity.

Fine, I get it. Who else knows of this?

Only me—I haven't dared tell anyone else. I was worried the news would panic the men, so I came straight to you.

Very well done.

Go. Tell them they can stop hauling. Clean the cuicos downstairs of every last drop of their grease, then we evac immediately.

Thank you!

Oh, also, stop losing your head. Speak calm, walk slow, and don't let them see a single crack. You hear me?

The soldier about-faces, then breaks into a run for the stairs. Suddenly comes the sound of a bowstring.

He has no time to look back before a heavy bolt pieces straight through his back and protrudes from his chest.

My boy, after so much loyalty, so much preparation, so many decisions, so many points of no return... you go off to be a bandit?

I lost my chance to turn back.

So did you.

A terrorist attack 'collage?'

Reynell set up the bombs, the Captain took the crowd hostage, and neither seemed to know what the other was up to. That's what Ernesto tells me, anyway.

...They're both insane.

Yeah, both of them are crazy. We need to prep for the worst-case scenario, with the hostages prioritized above all else on all counts.

Let's hash out a concrete plan of action. We've got five names to our side. Iana, Doc, Fuze, me, and Rhodes Island's Catapult...

Count me in too.

You sure?

Don't forget my past life.

Besides, it's not just that Reynell bastard trapped in there, and not just the investors either—many are ordinary folk. I have to go.

Papá...

Don't try talking me out of it, I'm going.

Who's talking out? I'm going too!

You?

You and the others can forget it. It's dangerous in there—

Come on, Papá, think about it. Sure we've never been firefighters, but otherwise, we're thinking everything you're thinking, no?

Guys, listen to me! We're about to rescue everyone in the Galería!

This is entirely voluntary! Everyone who's in, step forward and listen to Ela!

If you don't want to go, no pressure! Head back to the neighborhood, in case Mateo makes a move on our community and screws us before he's down for good!

What do you think? You going?

Don't wanna die, I'll be real. I'm not going. Think of all the pictures still waiting for me to take them.

(Shrug) I kinda want to see those art investors piss their pants in fear.

That's tasteless.

Tasteless?

Pant-pissing's no good show. What <i>I</i> wanna see is the art Reynell bought.

I thought you'd have to cough up for tickets from Reynell to see the goods, but it changes things if we're going in to save them anyway—

I—I—I mean, if you're gonna...

What are you pulling out Reynell's pamphlet for?

...This.

Galería Krysztauowa Exhibition Hall 2, Exhibit 14. An anonymous Minoan bard's manuscript from the night before Sargon annexed Minos.

How could such a beautiful poem, such a precious manuscript, end up bought by Reynell...

I learned Minoan just for this one poem! I'll recite it for you right now—

Don't bother. It's all Minoan to me.

Ugh...

*sigh* What the heck are you crying for?

When I just think about that bard's bitter fate, and then I think about that manuscript, and then I think about me, I just—I just...

I'm going, is what I am! Even if the bombs blow me up when I see it, it'll be worth it! I have to go!!

Considering the number of hostages, we can have the majority of our people evac the ones we rescue. Best leave HVT suppression and explosive disposal work to us.

Catapult, is Tequila on comms right now?

I got him.

Mr. Tequila?

Miss Ela? Don't tell me you're crashing the Galería with Arleta. It's dangerous in here—

We're the ones you hire to deal with this sort of thing, sir.

Catapult says you're trapped in a darkroom on the east wing third floor of the gallery, and the room is filled with explosives. Seeing how lively it is downstairs, there should be plenty of people shut in there, correct?

Yes.

Are the Captain's men in there? Have they noticed the bombs?

They should be there, but it's too noisy. I can't quite make anything out... hold on—

Tequila?!

(Whisper) Two soldiers passed by the darkroom entrance just now. They were discussing how to load the art onto their trucks.

Good. That's what we'll build our plans around.

(Whisper) Say, is something this small really gonna blow up whoever's in there?

(Whisper) Blowing up the galería's glass walls is one thing, but we're talking about the warehouse that Mateo used as his command node. Who knows if he has patched up the walls here...

(Whisper) Of course it will.

(Whisper) But... okay, you're rappelled outside the second floor, but you're still standing against a wall... Shouldn't you bust a window, and throw these things in?

Did you hear something just now?

It was like... donk, donk, donk?

Well, except it was five donks.

Three.

Who gives a damn if it was three or five? Doesn't matter, we can die of old age holding this bunker if we want. All those idiots in the plaza can do is stand around drooling—

Deployed! Time to pull back!

A string of explosions rings out of the building.

Catapult's jaw hangs slack as she stares at Fuze. About to offer a word of admiration, Fuze shakes his head at her.

And then from inside the room, an even more violent explosion. The Cluster Charge has ignited the explosives cache within.

Ela, this is Fuze. We should have hostiles from perimeter defense coming out now. Get ready to engage.

And Catapult, it's about time we move.

Don't you think... the explosions already woulda knocked them out?

Never assume your enemy's an idiot, even if he really is.

Incoming, incoming!

Are you... some kinda genius?

Not in a million years. What I have is training, intel, synergy with my teammates, and just a little pinch of technology.

It's that simple.