(no subject)
It was time, and Phoenix knew it.
It had been a plan seven years running, his own plan that ran in tandem with Kristoph's own devious plot. It was a gamble - and unlike the poker games he was now so used to playing in the Hydeout this was a game that was more than just simply a game. This was the game - a game where pretty much everything was on the line now; if he won, he could finally win back what he sought after so long... but if he lost he would lose everything - and very possibly his own life too. Phoenix knew that, and no matter how much his gut instincts were literally screaming at him to back back back away you don't need to do this the man still pushed on despite everything. He couldn't give up; not here, not now. Not when everything he knew and loved and cherished was already long placed upon the betting table of this game.
The man closed his eyes and let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding before he opened his eyes again, looking at the dead man before him. Shadi Smith - or to be more accurate, Zak Gramarye; the man whose trial caused him to lose his badge - was dead before him, head back on the chair with a trail of blood rolling down his forehead. Phoenix glanced at the hat that lay on the floor before an idea came running into his head - there was no doubt who had done it after all that had been happening. Steeling himself, Phoenix bent down and picked up the hat, placing it gently back onto Smith's - Zak's - head.
"I'm sorry you had to be a victim in this," he muttered, head bowed and eyes closed. An image of Trucy ran in his head there and then - how was he to tell her about this? Her father, finally back; but only to die in a vicious plot of seven years. The girl had been so patiently waiting for him as well... Phoenix was well aware of this fact, and that only made all of this all the more hard to swallow. He may have his lackluster, relaxed personality that he wore on the outside, but on the inside he was still who he was. And now, he was scared to death. Even after he had thought over the possibility of situations like these... the thought of him losing everything frightened him deeply. He had suffered what it was like to be all alone once, all those years ago... and if he lost, Trucy would have to suffer that burden as well. As her father, Phoenix would die before he let that happen. He didn't want his daughter to suffer the same fate that he did.
The curtain's been raised for this show - a show that's been preparing itself from seven years ago, he thought to himself as he glanced at the dead man once more and lowered his head in respect before he exited the Hydeout, going up to the first floor. Each step felt like a moment in eternity, every step a step closer to the beginning of the end. Was he ready for this? Ready to put an end to this once and for all? To finally reveal the play of seven long years? Yes, his mind replied. Yes, it was time. Seven years had been far too long for everyone. He had waited patiently, he had bidedd his time after all this while and finally, finally all of this would pay off in spades. Finally, Kristoph Gavin was going to get his just desserts.
They said revenge was a dish best served cold, after all.
Once up there, he dug out his cellphone and whipped it out, redialing an all-too familiar number that he had since seven years ago. The phone rang a few times, and finally it picked up. Steeling himself, Phoenix spoke into the speaker.
"Kristoph. I seem to be in a bit of trouble."
It had been a plan seven years running, his own plan that ran in tandem with Kristoph's own devious plot. It was a gamble - and unlike the poker games he was now so used to playing in the Hydeout this was a game that was more than just simply a game. This was the game - a game where pretty much everything was on the line now; if he won, he could finally win back what he sought after so long... but if he lost he would lose everything - and very possibly his own life too. Phoenix knew that, and no matter how much his gut instincts were literally screaming at him to back back back away you don't need to do this the man still pushed on despite everything. He couldn't give up; not here, not now. Not when everything he knew and loved and cherished was already long placed upon the betting table of this game.
The man closed his eyes and let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding before he opened his eyes again, looking at the dead man before him. Shadi Smith - or to be more accurate, Zak Gramarye; the man whose trial caused him to lose his badge - was dead before him, head back on the chair with a trail of blood rolling down his forehead. Phoenix glanced at the hat that lay on the floor before an idea came running into his head - there was no doubt who had done it after all that had been happening. Steeling himself, Phoenix bent down and picked up the hat, placing it gently back onto Smith's - Zak's - head.
"I'm sorry you had to be a victim in this," he muttered, head bowed and eyes closed. An image of Trucy ran in his head there and then - how was he to tell her about this? Her father, finally back; but only to die in a vicious plot of seven years. The girl had been so patiently waiting for him as well... Phoenix was well aware of this fact, and that only made all of this all the more hard to swallow. He may have his lackluster, relaxed personality that he wore on the outside, but on the inside he was still who he was. And now, he was scared to death. Even after he had thought over the possibility of situations like these... the thought of him losing everything frightened him deeply. He had suffered what it was like to be all alone once, all those years ago... and if he lost, Trucy would have to suffer that burden as well. As her father, Phoenix would die before he let that happen. He didn't want his daughter to suffer the same fate that he did.
The curtain's been raised for this show - a show that's been preparing itself from seven years ago, he thought to himself as he glanced at the dead man once more and lowered his head in respect before he exited the Hydeout, going up to the first floor. Each step felt like a moment in eternity, every step a step closer to the beginning of the end. Was he ready for this? Ready to put an end to this once and for all? To finally reveal the play of seven long years? Yes, his mind replied. Yes, it was time. Seven years had been far too long for everyone. He had waited patiently, he had bidedd his time after all this while and finally, finally all of this would pay off in spades. Finally, Kristoph Gavin was going to get his just desserts.
They said revenge was a dish best served cold, after all.
Once up there, he dug out his cellphone and whipped it out, redialing an all-too familiar number that he had since seven years ago. The phone rang a few times, and finally it picked up. Steeling himself, Phoenix spoke into the speaker.
"Kristoph. I seem to be in a bit of trouble."