[hr][center][h1][color=B8860B]Theo Callahan[/color] & [color=silver]Reno Wylde[/color][/h1][/center][center]A collaborative post between [@beyond visions] and [@Apollosarcher][/center][hr]
[indent]In the war room Theo clenched a grasp on the croupier stick with his right hand, pushing around figurines as he played his war games on the London map. He curled his left arm around his favorite lap dog, Ammo, a pug gifted from the colony's First Trapper. Theo has been known to be a doggish king after all. He was now surrounded by a crowd of his five other hounds: Armor the bullmastiff, Bullet the rottweiler, Bruiser the giant schnauzer, Crusher the Rhodesian ridgeback, and Junkyard the mutt. The hounds were all well-trained guard-dogs, Theo has to thank the First Trapper for teaching him how to properly train them to be killers on command. Of course, Theo cherished his pets for being more than vicious warriors, but he treasured their unwavering loyal. 

"THEO!" Came a yell, as four pair's spurs could be heard advancing up the hall, that was the unmistake sound of the Tombstone himself. His voice carried anger and rage Theo had rarely heard, the Sheriff had faced down mobs with a calm and collected attitude. Yet whatever had the Sentinel mad was enough for a man usual content to remain in the background of politics to come storming towards his office.

Four Sentinel's stepped into his room, the four most senior among Reno's hand picked protectors of the town. Reno did not hold his guns instead his fingers tapped along pearl grips of the thunder and lightning he carried. Reno wanted words for now it seemed, because if he hadn't Theo knew one of those guns would be tossed at it him and they would settle this Reno's method. 

A game the cowboy had yet to lose at. "You want to tell me why one of the men in my jail? One of the men I'm supposed to give due process to is a bloody corpse in the street? And you better have one of hell of an answer because I also noticed I'm short another one too." He growled. His hands stopped tapping, Calico and Dodge flanking his left right both cradled rifles they had just come in from patrol. Behind him stood Fairbanks chewing gum, the four looked down right imposing with the shining badges and spurs.

As Theo was being flanked by his own vanguards, his hounds who were positioned by his side, Bullet and Bruiser began growling at Calico and Dodge. [color=B8860B]"Relax!"[/color]  Theo barked in that usual bold booming yet sharp tone Theo is capable of. Though his command was not meant for the Sentinels, but rather for his hounds as he whipped his head over in their direction. He waited for the dogs to lie down before then reinforcing their position, [color=B8860B]"Yes..."[/color] Once Theo laid his lap dog down on the ground to be with the others of his kind, the Spartan then leaned against the war table with his back while the croupier stick remained gripped in his right hand, and the end of it rested in his other hand.  [color=B8860B]"Okay... You want an answer.."[/color] Theo glanced down at the stone flooring before finally looking up at Reno and sighing,  [color=B8860B]"I fucked up."[/color]

Reno growled. "Damn right you did! Theo this could mean war, a war where it's us against people who have the ability to kill us from the sky." He answered with a tone lighter than before. "Theo they could make us surrender if they like, bomb us until we raise a white flag and hand over our guns. What little protection we have left, then they make this a police state." He answered quietly looking at the man falling into a chair. "And know you would claim to fight to the last but... We couldn't, that would doom women, children, and elderly alike to more death." He withdrew a flask from within his jacket taking a long swig from the whiskey. "Churchill can't fight a war and we wouldn't last without Churchill."

"Please tell me no one witnessed the murder at least... We could scapegoat it if we have too." He spoke looking Theo in the eyes.

[color=B8860B]"You have a point but...  here's the thing..."[/color] Reno and Theo were definitely not on the same page, of course, it is given that Theo was never thinking of the Collective ever coming back. Because if it ever came true that the Collective did reclaim Churchill, there likely with no longer be a Churchill. The New Earth project would be announced as a failure all of the convicted criminals would likely be hunted down and transferred to real prisons. Theo himself, the murderer of an Overseer Captain would be then charged with an account of murder and likely his life sentence be raised to a death sentence. [color=B8860B]"This brain-eating amoeba, this aggressive decay, was enough for me to assume that the Triple C was never going to reclaim this colony. And also, prior to the pandemic mankind discovered extraterrestrials. What are the odds that Collective Space conflicted with them after the outbreak , thus to the point of spanning into galactic war? So, is your fear of anyone witnessing Thrax's corpse only Collective related?"[/color]

"Hell no. I moved the damn thing before the locals decided to go carrying it around cheering, Thrax was bad but that mean Alfie is in charge now. What do you think he's going to do to get back at us? Overseer's got as much firepower as we do or more. Thing is they don't have to play by the rules, to them everyone but me is a criminal here." He leaned forward. "Not to mention I've heard reports of Outsiders closer and closer to the town. They are getting braver Theo." He moved looking at his three deputies quietly, they had stayed quiet and hadn't moved. Calico eyes darts and Fairbanks had taken to rolling a cigarette.

"Theo. We can't go on fighting everything. Trust me I tried to fight world once. It's lonely, it's hard, and you lose what makes you human along the way." He gave a nod and the others filed out of the room without a word. Sentinel's had gotten silent communication down very fast, made it easy to talk in a gun fight. Turning back to face Theo he looked the man in the eyes. "Alfie is gonna want revenge, and that little shit nose won't kill people he'll capture workers or soldiers further out and haul them in for torture. It's how he is and before you go suggesting killing another one. They are in my custody, next body I find missing from my jail we settle this with a draw." He added with a soft voice.

[color=B8860B]"A draw are you serious? That's like a me, a seven foot giant, challenging you, a five foot man, to a boxing match. That's not even in the same weight-class."[/color] It is a bit ironic how Theo, a convicted arms-dealer, now does less practice with guns like he should. Of course his method when it comes to shooting is not a refined one, but rather like one of a reckless juggernaut. Accuracy is not quite his strong suit unless it comes to close combat. [color=B8860B]"Besides the next body you find missing in the cells is the fucking Renaissance's responsibility. When the Oveerseers first arrived at the gates of this colony, we settled an agreement that I would let her handle Vanderbilt, while I remain under control of Thrax and O'Hare, that was back when I actually cared about wooing my so-called [i]wife[/i]."[/color] 

"To be fair I don't reach for it until my opponent clears leather." He smiled taunting a little. "Besides, it's how I handle my problems. How many smugglers have surrendered or thieves given up based on knowing that if they kill a Sentinel they duel me." The man answered looking Theo in the eyes. "Way I see it, it's a warning. Now as for our lovely young Renaissance, I'll go make sure she knows the situation and that Alfie is off limits. Seriously if more people keep dying in my jail I look incompetent." He got up from his seat. "Also Theo... Piece of advice, you want to murder someone in my prison... Let me know first if he's got it coming I'll make sure it's a fair fight." He turned and stopping at the door. "Anything else before I go see the young lady?"

 [color=B8860B]"Yeah... Unlike most of the vanguards you've been quiet about the whole [i]situation[/i]."[/color] Theo backed off of the war table, laying the croupier stick against it.  [color=B8860B]"You know... this union between the Muses and the Vanguards, between Isabel and I. It's like Athens and Sparta as one nation, well that's at least what Carmen told me when we last spoke privately. She had little faith in it. But, what is it that you think? Also, more importantly... what was your personal opinion about my move to kneel before Isabel for the ceremony's kiss?"[/color]
 
  Yes, that last question was a matter Theo felt the most insecure about ever since it happened. He has been bottle all of those insecurities and slowly translating them in blended leaks of anger and power-tripping. For once in his life when he knelt down to kiss her, Theo genuinely believed he was doing something right, proving that he was capable of humility, proving that he was ready to embrace it. But when only gaining backlash from both his own faction and the woman he did it for, he has since done the very opposite of humility because of what he gained from it. 

"Look... I don't approve of the marriage cause of to many eggs in one basket if that's what you mean. If there weren't leaders of two faction's and say it was down right great but I can't shake the feeling this could mean trouble." He frowned. "From who I can't say but I just know it ain't going to be good." He stopped drawing a cigarette from his coat and his lighter. "As for my thoughts on kneeling? It was good, husband and wife ought to be equals in marriage no one should stand above the other." Lighting up he took a look drag.

"Yeah but never forget, Greece fell because the states inside it took to warring against each other. When the armies of foreign powers came, Sparta had sacked their allies and gotten fat on their food and wine. They fell easily and became nothing more than a puppet in someone else's game." He stopped by the door. "And Theo? One last piece of advice, don't trust what she says at face value. Muse's are first and foremost actors." He added stepping through the door a trail of smoke the only sign he'd been here.[/indent]