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« on: August 15, 2013, 11:41:28 am »
Red nodded lightly as he guided them to their seats through the crowd that had gathered. He had been to this particular opera before, and knew the way quite well. With an polite gesture he invited her to sit; "Ladies first", then sat down beside her. His eyes went over the stage. From what he had gathered, the event would start in several more minutes. He handed her a set of Galilean binoculars, and momentarily considered the 'winner' of Jack's game, the man behind the gas mask. He quickly dismissed her suggestion, taking the man to be an oddity who simply sought to hide his identity. He had better things to discuss with Johnny later.
"I would indeed be a horrible liar if I were to say that you were anything less than lovely company, but as you rightly point out, I should cut to the main point behind our splendid time together." Red spent a moment considering the people around them. Most of them looked like the spoiled upper class of the city - much like Jack, now that he thought of it - and they were mostly occupied discussing the play. Content with how distracted they were, he leaned a little closer, his voice just above a whisper. "I know that, despite the power at my figurative and literal fingertips, I can bleed. To extrapolate this fact, I am also quite certain that I can die, which is a hypothesis I do not want to put to the test. I would bet in one of your games that the same goes for you."
Red leaned back in his chair a little. "Now, I know that we are both intelligent people, and that we stick to the shadows to avoid getting hurt. We act with great strength, but we act wisely." Red's eyes rested on his gloved fingers, which he had crossed in his lap. After giving himself a moment to consider how to continue, he turned his eyes back to her. "If someone, let's say the chief of police or one of those mobsters, were to learn about our existence, that someone would hunt us down. The people who are currently in power in this city would view us as a threat. And even if they would not manage to kill us, they would harm our operations. Even if we would defeat their goons, they have comparably nearly endless resources at their disposal. And the word would spread, making it incredibly difficult for us to act any further without making more enemies. They would rally any and all xenophobes behind them to hunt us down."
Red took another pause, allowing his words to make impact - if anything would really manage to make an impact on this lady. "I dare say with certainty that the 'orgone regulators', as they are called, were made by someone much like ourselves. Someone who does not realize the importance of subtlety. Currently, I care little for what you do in the city, and I believe that so do you about the things I do. Thus we cross each other's paths not in conflict, but with a mutual goal: To be able to do what we are doing without disruption. The creator of the orgone regulators, on the other hand, harms our interests. He is the disruption. I know that the 'Hoods' are already hunting for him. What if they or someone else were to find him? "
The lights went out, except for the ones which shone on the curtains. "We both know that the results would be unpleasant. If they were to find him, they would suspect that he is not the only one of his kind. Thus, I propose that we seek him out, help him disappear. Convince him of our point of view. And if necessary.."
The curtains opened for the first act. On the stage a man died in the arms of his lover, heralding the war that the play portrayed. ".. we help him disappear permanently."
