[quote=Theron]"You see, you don't make a convincing argument how this benefits me. That's why I am a bit skeptical. That simple - nothing personal either, just business, and the offer you are making right now? Not too sweet, so I am thinking it would be best for you, us both, is that you start walking back the other way and don't stop. And lets not try to be crafty either. No shadiness with the hands or bag, just nice easy steps and we can both go to sleep tonight somewhere not six feet under or getting picked at by geeked out rats or dregs."[/quote]
"You're actually going to make me say it out loud?" Theron could see that the man's head was visibly trembling as he grimaced at the corporate solo. "[i]Fine[/i]. I have actionable information on [i]Lt. Davison[/i], is that what you wanted to hear? That's the deal. We share what we have. I get a little face-time with Golemeth - who I think we both know has ties with him - and you get what I know. Is that something you think is beneficial enough? Or do you have to go and ask daddy if he'd like that?" He paused emphatically as he glanced at Theron's method footsteps, slowly backing away a bit at a time, before staring dead-straight at Theron's eyes as he spoke. He shifted his body weight from one foot to the other, and was gesturing lightly with his free hand, alternating between pointing at Theron or else hovering lightly in the air as though he was just having a regular conversation. Aside from the aggravated tone of his voice and his eerie stare, the man seemed completely at ease.

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Because of course, doubling down on a dick-measuring [i]bluff[/i] was exactly the sort of thing that could not possibly backfire. No, the gunfire would go perfectly straight from the solo's gun and through Tracy's skull any second now. Tracy could hear his molars grinding against each other in the back of his mouth. His face was so sensitive, he could actually feel the tips of his ears as they trembled. Icy pins and spiders were stinging every square centimeter of his back, and his legs were actively trying to commit mutiny against the rest of his body both by trying to go from [i]standstill[/i] to [i]sprint[/i], as well as by trying to spontaneously cease existing and consequently supporting the remainder of his body. For the moment he was forestalling either possibility by shifting his bodyweight around from side to side nervously, but he was deeply aware that to pull this off, he could not look [i]too[/i] nervous. Or the wrong [i]kind[/i] of nervous, like bouncing-on-the-balls-of-your-feet nervous.

As part of his brilliant ploy of self-distraction while he tried to focus, Tracy shifted the grip of his fingers along the strap of his duffel bag, turning his clenched fist from a death-grip to an ineffectual suicide attempt by way of digging his nails into his palm. Tracy then decided, as part of the ongoing plan to not get shot as well as part of a signatory ceasefire with his own fight-or-flight response, to deescalate the situation a little.

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"That was actually a rhetorical question. I'm short on time and I need results, not worthless melodrama. Here's some 'benefit' for you. I'll tell you some of what I know [i]before[/i] you resuscitate him. You can decide if what I've got is worth the effort then. But we can't keep yammering on like this in the middle of the street. Meet me halfway here." Tracy gestured pointedly to the surrounding environs. There still weren't any vehicles or pedestrians, but in the distance - a few blocks down - the vague outlines of figures could be seen conglomerating.

"Would you really say no to a little help in exfiltrating that aggrandized paperweight somewhere a little more private?" The man asked demurely, voice rising in tone to something a little lighter as he held up his free hand, palm-first, in a placating gesture. "I know a few places nearby where we can at least stop to discuss this a little bit more. I get that you want to just bolt and get out of here, but this is not a game where you get to walk away without either folding or doubling down. How about we help each other rather than starting a second gang war in the streets?"

He lowered his gaze a little and away from Theron briefly before looking back, his expression curiously bitter. "Please?"

[@The Harbinger of Ferocity]