Forty-Seven

Hearing those words didn't leave much of an impression on Rose. War was not her forte and dealings with Alos were even farther beyond her. Still, she couldn't help but ruminate over the man's assertions.

Alos was in cahoots with Brian? It made sense if they wanted control of a section of the slums and didn't want to get their own hands dirty, still, it seemed to her much slower than it would be if. . .multiple people like Shana Striker stepped in. If an army of Shana Striker were ordered to take the section.

"I don't get it," She said, eyeing the three people before her, "Why? What's the point? Why can't they simply send their army like you said. Like last time?"

Paul Walker tched and fell into his chair, to which she wanted to roll her eyes. 'Had he expected me to know all of this already?'

"They would if they wouldn't face full, frontal, retaliation." He finally said.

"Retaliation?"

"Yes. We may be slum lords but we still control the slums. The last war only ended so fast when they stepped in because we were already battered and weak, but if they came in guns blazing at us this time, I doubt any of my colleagues would relent as easily as last, as I would not."

He spoke calmly, eyes trailed at her, "The city is expanding, it'll more than likely eat up at least the first and second rim, and it fears if it aggressively tries for the Red District and control of the 5th and 4th rim of the slums, we would retaliate in full, and it doesn't want full destruction of the land or populace."

"They are being underhanded, then? Letting you fight amongst yourselves?" She asked.

"My, you're sharp. Indeed, let us fight among ourselves, and the one who comes out on top will likely work with the city in the end. They already chose who they're backing, all that's left is the short war. That is my theory."

"A theory more than likely to be true," Lilias said, "A City Shield doesn't pop up from nowhere, smaller make or not."

Rose nodded at that. She wasn't versed in the political or economic nature of the world, but she was not stupid. She rummaged through her thoughts, and her eyes made way to a calm Samuel and an even calmer Lilias.

"You tried to capture me," She stated, "Led to injuring Elsa. And you want me to work with you?"

She trailed her eyes to Walker, who smiled at her. "Was it your doing?"

"A bit," He said, "I only met the team after your little scrimmage outside of the slums."

"Outside of the scrimmage? You. . .you were the one he sold them to?"

He laughed. "Who else do you think has such an ability and need to buy a large collection of armaments? You think just anyone could?"

"No, I suppose it must be costly."

"One point three million lixels in total," He smiled, "I met her after that transaction when I noticed her custom armaments and offered. . .a partnership."

He pointed at Lilias, who maintained her expressionlessness.

"I offered she be a part of my army and I would help her into Alos."

'Oh?' The two girls crossed eyes, emerald and crimson, both in a bid to read the other's expression.

"When that Reaper came, and I recognized your voice with the Rat. . ."

His smile deepened.

"I became very interested in you."

Rose did not like that expression a single bit. It felt as if he were looking at her as a chess piece, maybe even a product for battle. She raised a brow as he spoke his next words.

"I gave her two orders. One, if you were weaker than her, she was to allow them to capture and sell you. Two, if you were able to at-least match her, she was to either allow them to die or kill them herself, and rope you in."

She met eyes once more with Lilias, and she found her crimson eyes clear and without a blemish. Her expression was serene and Rose wondered if she would have really killed the group with her own hands.

"I would have killed them," The girl answered her question without her questioning, "When you stood up after they shot Elsa, I decided they would die."

The dragonian continued, "They were awfully gullible. Simply enticing them to not harm her caused them to harm her. The friction was already there, I merely pushed it further and. . .knowing Elsa's quickness to action. . ."

Rose saw her smile, a smile much more eerie than that of Walker's, a smile plastered on an otherwise emotionless face, to an otherwise emotionless voice accompanying otherwise emotionless eyes, and she would have shuddered if it were possible.

"I don't make companionship with dolls, but I do not mind fighting alongside someone of your strength."

She saw something deeper in those crimson eyes, in those words, and in that smile. And she thought, 'Ah, this is a person that will do anything to achieve their goal, isn't it?'

Were they really as similar as she had claimed? She didn't want to believe it.