Operation story: MB-1

Operation

Story

Previous None	Next MB-2
Characters
Anthony Kafka Mayer Muelsyse Silence ??? Barton A-Zone Prisoner Infected Prisoner/B-Zone Prisoner Jailer
Backgrounds
1 2 3

Before operation

“

A mystery individual invites Silence and Mayer to a bar. They find Muelsyse, head of the Ecological Section, waiting for them. She wants to bargain for information about a prison break.

”

<Background 1>
[Mayer and Silence enters a bar, looking for someone.]
Mayer	This... should be the place, right?
Silence	Mm. No doubt about it.
Mayer	Neat. Just gotta check, Silence, she really wanted to meet you here? This looks like a real-ass bar. In pretty lively shape, too... But nobody's home.
Silence	True. The liquor is all laid out very tidily, with an orderly ambience to match.
Mayer	Pretty bizarre. Should we head back, maybe? Not long till we gotta get going.
Silence	No. Whoever invited us knows about Anthony's jailbreak, and that he's with us, on top of...
Mayer	Of?
<Flashback starts here>
<Background 2>
Silence	We'll be heading off tonight. Let me check over the miscellanies one more time.
[Silence's cellphone rings.]
Silence	Hm? A message? I don't remember anyone in this city having my contact info... Wait, is this... an internal band?! ......
[Silence picks up the call.]
???	Ms. Silence.
Silence	Who are you?
???	No one important. What's important is that I know you have Anthony, and you're the one who broke him out.
Silence	...I don’t know what you’re talking about.
???	No need to panic. Even if I can't prove it, you can rest assured that I'm no bad actor. Otherwise, I wouldn't go to the trouble of establishing contact with you on an inside wire.
Silence	State your intentions.
???	All I want is to invite you and Mayer the Engineer out, for a chat.
Silence	......
???	I'll take that as a yes. Now, the address is...
[The mysterious caller hangs up.]
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 1>
Silence	On top of the fact that she sounded absolutely vile.
???	Hearing that as soon as I come in hurts me a little, you know.
Mayer	Whozzit?
[Someone dressed in Rhine Lab uniform approaches Mayer and Silence.]
???	Hiya~ I reserved the entire bar. It's just us three all alone here. I really wanted to chit-chat with you in a normal bar, but in the end, this isn't something we can let just anyone hear. So, sorries~
Mayer	You're...
???	Alright, let's all introduce ourselves. I'm the Director of Ecological, Muelsyse.
Silence	I remember you.
Muelsyse	Wowie, you know me? I'm blessed.
Silence	My mentor once mentioned you.
Muelsyse	Alright, your turn now.
Silence	Do you need to ask?
Muelsyse	Aww, there's a ritual to these things.
Silence	...Structural, Silence.
Mayer	Engineering, Lutra Workshop, Mayer.
Muelsyse	I hear you're all with an organization called Rhodes Island now. How'd you get mixed up in this, then?
Silence	...None of your business.
<Background 1>
Mayer	Don't tell me you were behind all this...
Muelsyse	Keheh. I dunno, what do you think?
Silence	No, likely not.
Muelsyse	Ooh? You sure about that?
Silence	If you could find us yourself, there's no reason you wouldn't know that Anthony has long since left Columbia. If you were the hand behind the curtain, a priori, there's absolutely no reason to seek us out.
Muelsyse	Hmhmm. True, true. If I'm the hidey-hand, I should be running around headless right now looking for Anthony, huh? But something tells me they won't lie down and take it, ya know? Your bodyguards have any idea how tough they are?
Silence	...Don't worry yourself.
Muelsyse	You sure, eh? Worry I won't, then.
Mayer	Uh, Silence, time out. If she's not behind all this, then she's...
Silence	It's not clear to me yet either. But you're linked to this case, and you want something out of us here.
Muelsyse	This is why you were Director Parvis's star pupil over in Structural. You're a real smarty. I love chatting it up with people like you.
Silence	Don't change the subject, Director Muelsyse. Anthony left Columbia. His assassination has failed. Mayer and I are ordinary people who just so happened to have come to Columbia. What is it you could want from us, all told?
Muelsyse	Aww, relax a little. I'm ordinary too! Just a researcher here. I pose no imminent threat to you~ The booze in this bar's four-star, at least. Wanna sit down and chat over some drinks?
Silence	......
Mayer	Hey. You think we can, Silence?
Silence	Oh, fine. I've got things I want to know, too.
Mayer	Sweet. Lemme take a look, then... I waaant this one!
Muelsyse	Ooh, you've got a sharp eye. I like the Riesling a lot. Not too high proof, but the aroma can strongarm you.
Mayer	Huh? I'm not actually that good with alcohol...
Muelsyse	Then let me recommend a fruit wine. Very low alcohol content, very friendly flavor.
Mayer	Really? I'll give it a shot, then.
Muelsyse	Goodie. What about you, Ms. Silence?
Silence	Plain hot water will be fine.
Muelsyse	Aww, you come to a place like this and don't even wanna try anything more fun?
Silence	I'm not interested.
Muelsyse	Fiiine, fine. Alright, ladies, have a seat.
Silence	Thank you.
Mayer	Whoa. This is actually really tasty.
Muelsyse	Glad you like it.
Silence	Can we get to the topic at hand?
Muelsyse	We can. Down to business, then. The way I see it, we both have questions, so we may as well trade answers. Of course, some questions will be off limits, but let's agree not to play any boring little word games, shall we? And in the interest of demonstrating my goodwill, I'll give you one free question before we start. Ask away~
Silence	How did you find us?
Muelsyse	That's a pretty... trivial first question. You sure? I thought you'd ask something more straight to the point.
Silence	Please answer the question, Director Muelsyse.
Muelsyse	Alright. Whether or not you believe me, me and HydeBro's strike teams have nothing to do with each other.
Mayer	HydeBro... They're the company who moved against Anthony in this, right?
Muelsyse	Righty. You've got history with them. Probably don't need too much introduction.
Silence	HydeBro. Former building materials juggernaut in Bunkerhill City. Once clashed head-to-head with the up-and-coming Simon Co.
Mayer	Eep. They were up-and-coming back then?
Silence	Yes. Simon Co. originally was in the logistics business. By all accounts, the call was made to move into building supplies at a board meeting. The company was named after the family, and half of its top-floor employees were related to the CEO, Smith Simon. Including the person at the heart of this affair—Anthony Simon, his one and only son. The short story is, whether it was over or under the table, the two companies fought it out, and they fought hard. To the point of blood, some rumors even say. And in the end, one can say Simon Co. lost. Ever since, HydeBro has enjoyed a very real monopoly on construction supply commerce in not just Bunkerhill, but surrounding cities as well.
Muelsyse	Hmhmm. All correct. Gold star for you.
<Background 1>
Muelsyse	Ultimately, you all come together in Ironforge City and shook them off. P.S., I've gotta say you did a beautiful job.
Silence	...But we didn't shake you off.
Muelsyse	Ahah. Too true.
Silence	I see you're not denying you were in league with them.
Muelsyse	Hmm... I feel like you've got your guess, honestly speaking. But I can tell you, I borrowed their communication channels for sure. Not like there's room to breathe. If I didn't do this, I'd probably end up the biggest loser out of this whole thing.
Silence	......
Muelsyse	So, I think we can get into grilling each other now. One asks, the other answers. You start.
Silence	No. Let's have you start, Director Muelsyse.
Muelsyse	Whoo. Can I?
Silence	I want to know what your game is here.
Muelsyse	Alrighty. What I wanna know is...
Muelsyse	Ms. Silence, how did your helper get in touch with Anthony, and aid him in a successful jailbreak, while in prison? I want a grasp on how that went down.
Silence	...? That's all in the past. Why do you want to know about it?
Muelsyse	Because I don't get how this jailbreak happened at all. The only parts I understand are the beginning— —HydeBro initiated this assassination plot they'd been brewing forever against Anthony Simon—the last of the Simons—who was locked up in Mansfield State Prison. And then the very end— —where Anthony led a group that successfully escaped Mansfield, and then met up with you two, and made it out of Columbia.
<Background 1>
Muelsyse	As for everything in between... well, I had a chance to find out, but that's slipped away by now. Very sad about that. So I want to hear it from you. Just what happened?
Silence	This is not fair at all.
Muelsyse	Relax, I'm not here to try and get the whole thing in one single question. You can toss out your own questions when you see fit, and I'll do my bestest to answer. Of course, I might have other questions too, but prooobably not that many~ Okay, being serious, we're only doing this I-ask-you-ask because we still don't know each other that well. Who can say if once we become friends, we'll let all the beans spill~
Silence	...I do not intend to become your friend, and this is going to take an awful amount of time.
Muelsyse	Aren't you "just ordinary people in Columbia" right now? You're not in any sort of rush, are you? Of course, you're free to turn tail and leave, but. First thing: I have no way to guarantee you'll actually make it out. Second thing: I have no idea how much you really know, but this is probs your one and only chance to pry intel out of me, Ecological Director Muelsyse. You really wanna let that go?
Silence	...You're threatening me.
Muelsyse	I'm giving you the option that's least likely to get you hurt, Researcher Silence.
Silence	...... Fine. I see you want to know, no matter what, and we're in no rush at all.
Mayer	Hey, I know this story. Can I just be drawing up some plans on the side here?
Silence	Go for it.
Muelsyse	Kafka... was that your assistant's name?
Silence	Yes.
Muelsyse	Don't think I ever saw her name in any list of staff to do with you.
Silence	She isn't a Rhine Lab employee. Rhine Lab would never hire her, and her interest in scientific research is roughly zero.
Muelsyse	Huh. So how do you know each other?
Silence	Coincidentally. But that's another story. All you need to know is she's a friend of mine. She's the one who helped me gather all my intel on the Simon family.
Muelsyse	Ooh? She sounds like a real doer to me. And very loyal. Not many people would become a criminal and get thrown in prison for the sake of a friend, would they?
Silence	I remunerated her appropriately. And she had her own goal in being imprisoned—
Muelsyse	Her own goal?
Silence	According to her, she always wanted to experience true prison life, just once. From her angle, my request must've seemed like I was paying her for it.
Muelsyse	...What an oddball she is.
Silence	Undoubtedly. I can't comprehend her sort of mentality, to say the least. She sought out a carpenter named Mina to pose as staff when entering the prison, and she got sent in herself as a convict.
Muelsyse	Is Mina that one Liberi in your team?
Silence	She is.
Muelsyse	From the sound of it, she was a total third party. Why'd you yank her into this?
Silence	I'm not too sure, either. All Kafka said was that Mina once had Anthony's aid, and so would be willing to go inside to help him. The long and short of it is she accepted my request, and entered Mansfield State Prison...
<Background 3>
[Kafka, who are being "incarcerated" in the Mansfield State Prison, plays a game of poker with three Infected prisoners, and wins after she showed a...]
Kafka	Royal flush! Ah-hah. Stayin' on top.
Infected Prisoner A	Tsk, damnit. Lost again. Hey, Kafka, you're not cheating, are you?
Infected Prisoner B	Ain't anyone else's fault you're bad. See? Both Kafka's hands, empty. How's she gonna cheat?
Kafka	Yeah, 'zactly. (Mumbled) Not my business you hold your cards so crappy I can see 'em.
Infected Prisoner A	But who'da thunk it. First I saw you as some weedy little brat. My shame. You're better than I thought. And you got word from my momma! You're a real friend, fair 'n' square.
Kafka	Hey, hey, hey, how many times I gotta tell ya? I'm already all grown up!
Infected Prisoner B	Hahah, truth! Oughta be callin' you a "lady!"
Infected Prisoner C	Whoo-wee, Kafka, ma'am!
Jailer	Hey, you lot, break time's over. Back to work! Anyone slacking, you can kiss goodbye to your dinner!
Infected Prisoner A	Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Pff. You're just some jailer. Who made you king?
Jailer	What did you say? Speak up.
Infected Prisoner A	I said, I need a toilet!
Jailer	Hold it in!
Kafka	These jailers have a real bad attitude...
Infected Prisoner A	Hey, Kafka, seeing as you can get a thing or two, I'll give you some advice. Dunno where you muddled on outside, but in Mansfield, I say you'd better keep your tail between your legs, figuratively speaking.
Kafka	Whyzat?
Infected Prisoner A	You know well as me, this is a nomadic prison we're in. Times are it visits cities for supplies, maybe takes on a few new inmates. Otherwise, it roams around the wilderness and nobody gives a hoot. o in here, two and two can make fish. Only law is the jailers' law.
Kafka	I guess so.
Infected Prisoner A	Hey, sort of a bright side, though. Outside, it's just us Infected what don't get treated human. But once you're in here, you ain't treated human whoever you are. Bastards in A-Zone don't live any better than we do. I think of that, and I feel swell.
Kafka	A-Zone?
Infected Prisoner A	Ah, right, you're fresh. People what ain't Infected get cells in A-Zone, and us Infected get in B-Zone. That's how we know 'em by, anyway. A-Zone, B-Zone.
Kafka	Ohh—
B-Zone Prisoner A	Heh. Can't help but say, Kafka, you came in just the right time.
Kafka	Uh-huh?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Today's the big event. You're in luck, making it.
Kafka	What's the event?
B-Zone Prisoner A	You'll know damn soon.
Kafka	Sure. Speaking of, what's that room over there for? Looks like a factory line to me. Why's it split off from our side? No one in there either.
B-Zone Prisoner A	Where d'you mean? Oh, that's C-Zone's special assembly line.
Kafka	C-Zone?
B-Zone Prisoner A	They're the ones living in that tower dead center of the place. That's what we call C-Zone. Scarce few there, but they've all made major messes. They'll pretty much be serving all their lives. They gotta work too, but it ain't gonna be with us. So that's where they do it.
Kafka	Ohh... anyone in there called Anthony?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Anthony? Whassup, you know him?
Kafka	Eh, I wouldn't say we know each other. Just heard he was in here too.
B-Zone Prisoner A	Where else is he gonna be...?
B-Zone Prisoner B	Hey. Zip it. You about ready?
B-Zone Prisoner A	It's starting? Damn, took long enough!
Kafka	Whassappening whassappenning?
[A throng of prisoners from both the A-Zone and B-Zone gather up in the factory...]
B-Zone Prisoners	......
[...and prepared for a fight.]
A-Zone Prisoners	......
Kafka	Uh, why do you all look like you're getting together...
B-Zone Prisoner A	Kafka, you're new here. Don't try anything today, save you getting hurt. Just grab some kinda something and hide. Here's a front-row ticket to Mansfield's big regular fixture—gang fighting!

After operation

“

Kafka enters the prison and successfully locates her target, Anthony. But she still needs to find a way to establish a relationship with him.

”

<Background 3>
B-Zone Prisoner A	Get'cher ass on the ground!
[The B-Zone prisoner hits an A-Zone prisoner...]
A-Zone Prisoner	Gah, sleaze...
[...who gets knocked out, only for the B-Zone prisoner to be struck by the A-Zone prisoners as Kafka rushes to his aid amidst the brawl.]
Kafka	Waaait, whoah, what even happened? Why're we duking it out now?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Thought I told you to go hide, Kafka. Whaddaya over here for?
Kafka	Aw, gawd, I'm fine. Just tell me what's going on, and make it slick.
B-Zone Prisoner A	Hah, just take a look. Infected and Non-Infected don't see eye to eye most times, hey? So we split into two sides and brawl.
Kafka	I mean, yeah, that happens for sure, but the jailers don't care?!
B-Zone Prisoner A	Well, I want you to look at them careful.
[The jailers didn't even bother to stop the prison brawl and watches it.]
Jailer A	*Clicks tongue* Sure do love a good inmate fight. We hit the jackpot with today's shift.
Jailer B	Hahah, right you are. This is the moment. The only joy working in this hellhole. Get their asses, A-Zoners! I'm watchin' you!
[The brawl gets more intense.]
B-Zone Prisoner A	You see that? They're living it up like no one else here. Plus, the side that wins gets slightly better eats for the next while.
Kafka	So this is all their fun? What's stopping us from just not fighting?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Not fighting? Kafka, you know how I got slammed up? Took the scruff of everyone who looked down on me, and I socked 'em! Hey, Kafka. I reckon, all the places in the goddamn world, this is the only one where you can bust Non-Infected jaws and the fuzz can't even be assed to slap you on the wrist. Beat someone to death? You get locked in for a while. sides, if you're really gonna die, you're gonna die. Who lets that scare 'em in prison? Beh, I'm done. You get it. I'm gonna go back and make hay. You find somewhere and stay low!
[The B-Zone prisoner with Kafka leaves her alone as the brawl continues.]
Kafka	Beh yourself. You're lookin' down on Kafka, you know. But man. I guess the Infected and the Non-Infected still live the same old clash in here. Not just living it, even. Idea's gone mutant. Supermutant. I've seen a thing or two outside, but I've gotta admit, if this ain't a first for me... If Silence was watching this, she'd be sick to the bone. But sorry, Silence, 'cause I'm different. Heheh. Messier the sitch gets, the more I like it. You fight your thing, and I'll go see what pies I can't get my fingers in. That gets me ready for the next bit...
[Kafka runs off to search for something amidst the brawl...]
<Background fades out and in>
[...only to be disappointed when she didn't get what she expected.]
Kafka	Yeuch, who sneaked their leftovers out for a box lunch?
[Kafka continues searching, but...]
Kafka	Why's there a sock here...?
[Kafka gives up her search, not finding anything useful.]
Kafka	I guess that's what you get in a real prison. Y'all do what you're meant to, huh. Not finding anything I could really use though... Buuut...
B-Zone Prisoner	Drop dead, dirtbag!
A-Zone Prisoner	Drop dead yourself!
Kafka	Ooh, they're going at it. And the long-timers here don't play fair, either. They've been making all sortsa weapons on the down low. Come on, get madder. Then drop something for me. Heheh.
[A B-Zone prisoner has their sights on an Anaty prisoner from the A-Zone.]
???	Ngh!
B-Zone Prisoner	I got a stray one here, heh-heh-heh...
Kafka	Aw, nerts, that girl's in trouble! Maybe I oughta go help...
???	......
[The B-Zone prisoner approaches the Anaty prisoner...]
B-Zone Prisoner	Heh, heh...
[...but suddenly something below the B-Zone prisoner explodes, knocking him out.]
Kafka	Oops. She was hiding something up her sleeve, looks like. Interesting, interesting...
<Background fades out and in>
[Who appears to be Mansfield's warden appears amidst the brawl.]
???	What's going on here?!
Jailer A	Superintendent Barton, sir! The prisoners are fighting!
Barton	And you're sitting there watching? You ain't stoppin' them?
Jailer B	Oh, Superintendent. Time's up?
Barton	I don't give a hoot which way the time is, it's our duty as jailers to manage the prisoners!
Jailer A	Yes, sir. Hey, you lot! Superintendent says it's time to quit it!
B-Zone Prisoners	*Columbian slang*
A-Zone Prisoners	*Columbian dialect*
Barton	Urgh. I've said it before and I'll say it again. This is prison. Not your consarned battlefield. Y'all should be workin' proper. Actin' proper. Only way your moms, pops 'n' buds out there'll see you a day sooner. You hear me? I'm tellin' you this for your own good...
[The prisoners stand down after hearing what the warden, Barton, had said.]
B-Zone Prisoner A	Tch. Here we go again.
[Kafka rushes to one of the B-Zone prisoners.]
Kafka	Wow, there's a couple marks on you. Y'alright?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Right as rain. Scratches! And I got to smash in a few A-Zone dirtbags for the trouble. Heheh, fine deal to me!
Kafka	And it winds down like this every time?
B-Zone Prisoner A	You mean Barton? Yeah, more or less. He's the jailers' Super. Always shows up at times like these, puts on the vaudeville and hits the brakes. Then says some meaningful crap. Especially moments like now when the place's stopped over at a city, the warden's gone and he acts like he's lord of the prison. Dropped on his head as a kid. But it ain't every time this happens, I'll tell you that. Plenty of times it don't stop for nothin'... I'd say most of the time, actually. Not that often it's over when over says, like today. But when it just won't end, you'll see Barton call in his safety.
Kafka	His what?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Yup. There he is.
[A tall, imposing male Feline prisoner appears beside Barton.]
???	......
Kafka	Anthony?!
B-Zone Prisoner A	Looks like you really do know him.
Kafka	I mean, I've only seen him all dressed up before...
[Kafka looks at the Feline, who turned out to be none other than Anthony Simon – her target – and briefly reminded herself on how he looks with a more formal dress.]
Barton	You oughta learn from Mr. Anthony's example here. He might be a prisoner, but he esteems rationality, and he does not make his first resort violence. In his downtime, he likes to read. Write. Listen to records. Mighty fine boy!
B-Zone Prisoner A	Bleuch.
Kafka	You don't like Anthony?
B-Zone Prisoner A	No, no, no, don't get me wrong, Kafka. Ain't no-one in this prison who'd cross Anthony. Usually, he's just like Barton said. Good to other folks. But we all know he's the biggest, muscliest goddamn shot in this place. They say when he came into prison, first thing he did was go and beat every last guy in C-Zone into line. Damn right. And anyone else from C-Zone barely gets to meet us, but he's the real thing. Swell as a bell. A-Zone or B-Zone, everyone falls in with him. Yeah. I'm just barfing having to look at Barton. Listen to him. You think he's praisin' Anthony right now? He's mocking him. Anthony's the only guy he can't lift his head against, but he needs Anthony to wrangle us, so this is the only way he can do it.
Barton	We are Mansfield State Prison. State! Prison. We are a pilot penitentiary with special approval from the capital. We will serve as a shining example to the other states.
B-Zone Prisoner B	Tch. We're a crowd of convicts. Example your face...
Barton	In short, I hope you can now reflect on yourselves. Reflect for my sake! Let's go, Anthony. You've got an hour of hittin' the books today.
Anthony	Hm.
Kafka	So usually you don't even see Anthony?
B-Zone Prisoner A	Usually, I guess? Timetabling for the serious offenders is outta step with ours, and most of the time they're just staying in the C-Zone tower. What, you wanna see him?
Kafka	Mayhaps I do. I wanna talk about something with him. Obviously, not something the jailers can know about.
B-Zone Prisoner A	Don't worry, I get'cha. If you wanna have a little heart-to-heart with him, it's not like you don't have a shot...