They had been walking away from the café for several
minutes in silence.
Scarlet looked to Jason and his face was stern. He was really upset. “Kathryn, what you did was wrong.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke.
She looked forward as they walked. “I disagree. The man had it coming. Everyone knows it, except the people of Grandville.”
“Maybe they chose to look the other way because, through the subterfuge, he was actually helping more than hurting.” It was not a question.
“That’s wishful thinking and you know it. I got a tip on his exact location and I revealed him for who he was: a traitor to the people he allegedly serves.” She wasn’t trying to bait Jason but she had to look at him.
Jason’s skin was more pink than usual and Scarlet noticed it. She grabbed his arm to stop him and to add gravitas to the discussion. “Jason, I couldn’t wait for Longbow to settle this. You know he has exploited the people of Grandville to root out anyone who could actually do some real good over there. Westin Phipps works for Arachnos!”
Jason twisted his arm away, “That doesn’t give you the right to be judge and jury! You came very close to being executioner. You are in the Dawn Patrol dammit.” He raised his fist as if to threaten Scarlet with it, but she knew it was only for effect.
She paused then sighed. “You’re right. I can’t say I lost control.” Scarlet looked away, ashamed for being honest.
Turning away, Jason took a step then spun on his heel to face her. “What were you thinking?!”
Scarlet hugged herself, suddenly feeling cold in the Summer sunlight. “I … the fight never ends. There is no respite. Even as I sat with Nathan today, I’m always on guard. I feel like I‘m standing on the edge of an abyss that I can’t walk away from. When I got the video feed of Phipps being tortured by Arachnos, I felt no pity … I felt anger. What was happening to him was a farce meant to raise his standing in the Rogue Isles. It was diabolical. I started to hate the man more than you could know. When I found him, I was looking at evil incarnate.”
She turned to Major Britain, the warmth of renewed vigor and righteousness enveloping her. “Jason, I intentionally beat him within an inch of his life. I knew what I was doing and that was Justice served.”
Jason looked down and nodded.
Before he could respond, Scarlet took a step closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not going to pretend there’s any fairness in this world. But I do believe it exists. I couldn’t kill him.” She leaned in to get his full attention, “you know I wouldn’t.”
“Then why didn’t you apprehend him?”
She lowered her arm. “Because the ends justify the means. He will suffer as he recovers, and now he knows we’ll be watching him which helps our cause more than it will for Arachnos.”
Scarlet looked to Jason and his face was stern. He was really upset. “Kathryn, what you did was wrong.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke.
She looked forward as they walked. “I disagree. The man had it coming. Everyone knows it, except the people of Grandville.”
“Maybe they chose to look the other way because, through the subterfuge, he was actually helping more than hurting.” It was not a question.
“That’s wishful thinking and you know it. I got a tip on his exact location and I revealed him for who he was: a traitor to the people he allegedly serves.” She wasn’t trying to bait Jason but she had to look at him.
Jason’s skin was more pink than usual and Scarlet noticed it. She grabbed his arm to stop him and to add gravitas to the discussion. “Jason, I couldn’t wait for Longbow to settle this. You know he has exploited the people of Grandville to root out anyone who could actually do some real good over there. Westin Phipps works for Arachnos!”
Jason twisted his arm away, “That doesn’t give you the right to be judge and jury! You came very close to being executioner. You are in the Dawn Patrol dammit.” He raised his fist as if to threaten Scarlet with it, but she knew it was only for effect.
She paused then sighed. “You’re right. I can’t say I lost control.” Scarlet looked away, ashamed for being honest.
Turning away, Jason took a step then spun on his heel to face her. “What were you thinking?!”
Scarlet hugged herself, suddenly feeling cold in the Summer sunlight. “I … the fight never ends. There is no respite. Even as I sat with Nathan today, I’m always on guard. I feel like I‘m standing on the edge of an abyss that I can’t walk away from. When I got the video feed of Phipps being tortured by Arachnos, I felt no pity … I felt anger. What was happening to him was a farce meant to raise his standing in the Rogue Isles. It was diabolical. I started to hate the man more than you could know. When I found him, I was looking at evil incarnate.”
She turned to Major Britain, the warmth of renewed vigor and righteousness enveloping her. “Jason, I intentionally beat him within an inch of his life. I knew what I was doing and that was Justice served.”
Jason looked down and nodded.
Before he could respond, Scarlet took a step closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not going to pretend there’s any fairness in this world. But I do believe it exists. I couldn’t kill him.” She leaned in to get his full attention, “you know I wouldn’t.”
“Then why didn’t you apprehend him?”
She lowered her arm. “Because the ends justify the means. He will suffer as he recovers, and now he knows we’ll be watching him which helps our cause more than it will for Arachnos.”
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