[centre][b][i]Collab between Kyle and Godfather[/i]
Vates and Mathias - Tuborg Heights[/b][/centre]

Vates stood at his large desk within his hidden vault. Laid out before him was an old plan of the city, one which contained dozens of scribbles and markings compiled from both information he already had as well as information he had gained over the last year. Mostly it contained little notes such as "cache here" or "so and so's base", but these notes went mostly unappreciated as he only ventured around his little district and had long learnt his way around without having to review the map. Now though he examined the various markings and tried to work out how the war would proceed. To the north was the heavy military presence, and likely a target for the Golden Mercs; even if it wasn't the site of their goals they would likely attack it to cause a distraction at least. Also to the North was their old base, long abandoned by them as far as he knew. His last information regarding them placed them somewhere to the far east of the city. He looked then to Itkomi's base almost due west of him (not knowing that he'd moved); Itkomi was a big player but he had no idea whether he would team up with the Mercs. Then again, Iktomi was as smart if not smarter than Vates and would probably come to the same realisation that unless the Mercs won there would be hell to pay. He looked to other groups to like the market gang and such, and towards the chaos zones like the middle of the city and the south-west but they were too hard to judge. "In that case I better pay Iktomi a visit and find out exactly what he plans to do and whether he can shed any light on the situation." 

Knowing that he might not get the chance to come back Vates assembled some gear in a rucksack and filled his pockets. Food and water mostly, but also some rolled up maps and odd pieces of scribbled down information he though might come in handy. He also grabbed two butterfly swords which he wore on a belt holster beneath his jacket. Having got all this he made his way upstairs and sat on the couch as he begun to replace the cores in his gauntlets. It only took a matter of minutes and just as Vates finished a sudden thud reverberated off the walls and a myriad of vile curses echoed around the apartment causing him to jump up and look around.

On the floor before of the elevator shaft, coughing and panting, Mathias lay in an exhausted pile. "I'm getting to old for this." admitted the middle-aged mafioso. 

Vates walked over to intruder cautiously with his kinetic gauntlet at the ready, tilting his head slightly as he spoke "And who are you exactly?"

"Don't mind me, lovely apartment you've got here! You'd hardly know that Hell had opened up just a few roads away." Mathias rose to his feet and strolled over to the ornate oak desk, as the slump himself on the leather armchair he withdrew a cigar and began to fill the room with thick white smoke.

As the intruder rose and his face became visible Vates recognised him almost instantaneously. [i]"Mathias Winters"[/i] he said inwardly as he watched the man stroll carelessly past.

[b][i]"An old friend of yours Edward?"[/b][/i] asked Janus.

[i]"Not exactly. I thought he was dead. Remember I told you about Sierra? That I sold her some information about a target before the event? Well he was the target."[/i] replied Vates inwardly as he walked over towards his guest. "Mr Winters isn't it?" he asked confidently taking a seat of his own.

"My, my. Quite an observant chap aren't you. Mathias Winters, that's correct, you on the other hand are Mr Edward Vates are you not?" He stretched out his hand to shake his hosts.

Vates put on a smile and hesitated for a moment before stretching out his own hand. For the first time in a long while he felt like he was back on the job. "I'm surprised you know my name. I'm even more surprised that you know where I live. I'm assuming you've not stumbled across me by mere chance?"

"No Edward, No ive been looking for you for some time now." Mathias wished he could lengthen the charade he had begun, but realised that when dealing with an broker, honesty was the best policy. "I know very little about you actually, it took months to even find a mention of your name, very impressive indeed. But tell me, simply out of curiosity...how much do you know of me?"

Vates genuinely smiled at that. "Well now, that sounds like an information request. Tell you what, how about we both share? You ask a question, then I ask a question? We'll tell each other a little bit at a time. To begin with, I know that prior to the event that you were the head of a formidable little [i]business[/i], correct?" Vates knew he was perhaps treading a fine line, but he wasn't going to dish out information without getting something in return. And whilst he had an idea why Mathias was there, he couldn't be sure. 

Mathias nodded "Correct. The Winters family has found many new and...questionable members in the last few decades. Who asked you to make a file on me?"

"No one." Replied Vates honestly although he knew what Mathias really wanted to hear, "I'm an information broker Mr. Winters. I collect any and all information. Given the nature of my business I've always thought it a good idea to have a stockpile of information about any criminal enterprise. I'm aware the brokers you are used to dealing with work on a much more... [i]by demand[/i] basis, but not myself. Now then, my turn. From where or whom did you acquire my location?"

"I have a friend, granted he isnt as well connected as yourself and admittedly if we had been in the old Sovereign then we could never have found you. But these aren't old times Mr Vates and someone who causes quite a stir, as you have done, never goes unnoticed." Taking a deeper inhaling of his cigar he pondered for a second before continuing "Who gunned me down?" He had waited months to ask that question, he could feel in his every fibers that he was so close to the truth

Vates lent back in his seat. He didn't know who exactly had gunned him down (he didn't even know he had actually been gunned down), although he had presumed Sierra would have. "Well, it was the military who put a price out on your head. Not surprising really given your choice of career. It was a big bounty and I know there was quite a few assassins that probably would have jumped on the chance to claim the winnings. As for who actually pulled the trigger, if that's what you're asking, I wouldn't know... not without having a dig around." Vates was careful to add the last part as he wanted to ensure his guest had a reason to not try kill him, "What is the name of your friend?" 

Mathias sat silently, this was not the answer he had hoped for. By nature he would have overturned the table, grabbed his host by the lapels and thrown him across the room. Instead he resolved to continue the game of questions. "That would be Iktomi Ascher, it seems we have both allied ourselves with the same arachnid."

Vates' expression dropped at the name. It appeared that Itkomi was not quite the ally he thought he was... not that he ever really trusted him anyway. "One that I clearly cannot trust. I doubt you could afford to either." muttered Vates as he pulled out a pen and paper and begun writing, "I'm writing you a list of names Mr. Winters. They are: Fergus 'The Axe' Andrews; The Shadow; Robert Schneider; Luke Bosworth; Sierra 'Smith'; Tywin 'Smith'; and April Grouse. These are the names or rather the aliases of assassins that I believe would have been likely to try take you out."

"...Thank you." Mathias looked down and saw pure vengeance sprawled in ink over the paper before him. "I see your leaving." He noted, looking past Vates toward the pile of provisions. "Do you have somewhere to stay?"

"I'm sure you heard that little broadcast earlier? I'm off to find some answers." he replied as he tried to remember where Mathias lived. The image of a mansion suddenly flooded his mind and he replayed a vision he had witnessed days ago of the same mansion frozen over. "If you tell me where I could find you maybe I could share what I learn?" 

"A mansion over to the north-east, the same as before. And ah yes the broadcast, tell me Mr Vates, what exactly do you think will happen when the cage door opens, when the glass prison shatters, when the walls fall down, hm? The animals will go berserk! The army will halt escapes, the Mercs will retaliate, but the biggest problem of all are those caught in the crossfire. I don't know if you've noticed Edward, but this city no longer has civilians, it is inhabited by beasts, and when beasts are threatened, they rise up... This is no time to escape, this is the time to defend what is left."

"[i]Right[/i]..." Vates replied, slightly lost on the point, "I cannot hazard to guess what will happen if the wall comes down. But I doubt it will even get that far. The 'beasts' as you called them might gather to the side of the Golden Mercs, but imagine that even if they don't kill each other first that they won't beat the military. If there was a time for alliances, now would be it."

"Alliances...you don't seem to have many strong alliances yourself Edward. I think you'd make a perfect addition to the Winters clan, what do you say?" Mathias looked his host in the eye. It was true Vates was a much needed gear in the intricate mechanics of Mathias' plan, everything had to be perfect, Vates had to take his side.

With a slow shake of his head Vates declined the offer, "Thank you Mr. Winters, I appreciate the offer. It's nothing personal, it just well... I've never liked the idea of having a boss. Now if you excuse me I really have to get going before this war kicks off." 

Mathias nodded, disappointingly he rose from the chair and walked toward the elevator shaft, peering down into the darkness a thought swept across his mind "There was one more thing Mr Vates...That creature a few flaws down...Whats the story?"

"Long" sighed Vates as he picked up his rucksack and headed for the shaft himself.