tushanshu_logs | Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed

Characters: CLOSED to Callaghan and Tony
Date: April 13
Location: Callaghan's apartment
Situation: Tony confronts Callaghan about his suspicions
Warnings/Rating: None yet

The bit about "shapeshifting" had thrown him off for a while.

Like a lot of other people, Tony had assumed that meant the mysterious mugger had to be a kedan. But then metal had been mentioned, and a mask had started to seep into the rumors... and, well, it wasn't hard for Tony to connect the dots after that.

He'd wasted half a week trying to track down the nighttime menace and catch him in the act. He's still not sure if he'd been looking for proof, or hoping to be proven wrong, but either way, he'd always been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he hadn't managed to track his target down. And, finally, he forces himself to face the truth.

He knows who the mugger is.

He hates to admit it, hates the all-too-familiar feeling of betrayal and bitterness and disappointment that the admission brings, but one of the things he's learned the hard way here in Keeliai is: the longer you lie to yourself, the more trouble you're in when the truth finally catches up to you. No one else has come forward and the attacks haven't stopped, and Tony can't avoid his responsibility anymore. If anyone's going to put a stop to this, it's going to be him.

So, wearing the armor backpack and a carefully blank expression, he makes his way to Callaghan's apartment, and knocks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Then what is it about?" It's a struggle not to yell the words, and even so they come out harsh.

His eyes narrow suspiciously when the professor asks him to sit. Reluctantly, he accepts the invitation - and immediately regrets it. He doesn't like being seated while Callaghan is still standing. It shifts the balance of power in the room and removes some of the tension from the confrontation - which was probably exactly the intention, but it's not what Tony wants. He wants to know what the hell Callaghan was thinking, sneaking around the city and mugging people with the microbots.

He sits with his arms crossed, watching Callaghan in sullen silence, waiting for an explanation.

It'll take a minute or two for the coffee to get ready- which is fine, because it gives Callaghan time to compose himself. He's gotten in to the routine by now, though, which is to say he doesn't have to waste time looking for everything he needs.

"First off, are you actually here to find that out, or have you already made up your mind?"

And that he can carry on the conversation without too much a break.

"I'm listening," Tony says stiffly. And he is, actually. Despite his somewhat hostile demeanor. He seems to be in the business of giving second chances, lately. That's why he's willing to hear the professor out, instead of just ratting on him to Zanru.

Listening is better than nothing. Robert can only nod, a hint of the tension dropping out of him.

"First of all- yes, I've taken some things. That were already stolen. And," he adds, raising a hand to forestall any interruption, "I've been doing what I can to get this 'masked man' thought responsible for a number of other things, because the more they think he's capable of, the more people start getting afraid of him. Which means the more they stay out of his way."

Mostly truth. A bit of squinting at some, withholding of others, but- enough of the truth that Callaghan, at least, feels comfortable with it.

"Which," he adds, with a bit of a drawl as he brings over two cups of coffee, "ironically, means that I'm doing a pretty good job, if you're this angry about it. Not that I blame you, but- I'm not sure I've given you much reason to think I'm capable of half of what they accuse me of."

"Stealing something that was already stolen doesn't mean it isn't still stealing." ~~Just because Fury had technically bought his stolen armor specs from Hammer fair and square doesn't mean Tony isn't still bitter about it.~~

"Why do you want people staying out of your way? Why do you want people do be afraid of you?" See, Callaghan, that sounds suspiciously like something someone who's up to no good would say. "If you weren't doing anything wrong, people wouldn't need to stay out of your way."

He takes the coffee that's set in front of him, staring down into it instead of drinking. "I don't think I know what anybody's capable of anymore," he says, low and bitter.

"Either way, it means that they need to get better security, and when they do I'll see about returning it. It's safer with me than with them at the moment." Half because nobody but Tony's looking in his direction. Half because...well. Parts thereof may have been remade in to microbot parts.

"As for why I want people out of my way- think about it, Tony. People are naturally curious- you know that, I know that, it's what push us to be who we are. But sometimes that curiosity needs to be discouraged, such as when-"

And he hesitates here, but the look on his face doesn't seem guilty. If anything, it's like he's trying to figure out how to put something in to words that he's only ever been so able to.

"-...when I just need to be left alone." Even that doesn't seem to fit it, though, and he makes a soft huff of frustration before rubbing at his face. "Not because I'm doing something to hurt people, just when...I need to get away from everything and everyone for a while."

Even that doesn't sound right. But he's no idea how else to say it. To give himself a bolster, he takes a sip of his own coffee, holding it with both hands as he takes in the bitter flavor. For him, black; cream and sugar are only for when it's meant to be a treat, not a tool.

"Stealing their shipments so other people don't steal them instead?" He could be wrong, but Tony's pretty sure the saying doesn't go 'rob from the rich before the other poor can do it first.'

Tony's brows furrow and he takes an angry sip of coffee. The coffee is hot and bitter, like his rage.

"That doesn't explain anything. You're not saying anything different, just making different excuses. If you want to be left alone, why are you running around the city with the microbots? You're the one attacking those shipments. If you want to be left alone, why are you drawing attention to yourself and going looking for trouble? Why are you stealing?"

"Taking shipments to safeguard them from those who'd misuse the parts- what do you think the gangs would be using all of it for? Hell," Robert snorts, taking another sip of his own coffee. "What do you think their current 'owners' are going to use it for? From what I've seen, the Metalworkers barely know what they're doing- they're blundering through technology they barely understand, and they're too proud to ask for help, much less accept it. That's your company they've taken over, and what are you? A glorified factory-line worker, while they work on who knows what."

No, he's not impressed. Not in the slightest.

"I will admit that it's an unorthodox method," he goes on to say, "the whole...running-around-thing. But I'm not intentionally drawing attention, except in cases where it needs to be drawn...and as for why?" He makes a vague gesture towards the rest of the apartment. "If you believe anything I say, then believe me when I insist I have no use for it all. If anything, I'm well aware that Keeliai needs it more, and I'm pretty sure I could figure out better ways to put it back better than those families. And," he adds with a drawl, "I don't even have to worry about fighting for power or prestige, because I don't care about things like that, either."

Now that's a tack Tony hadn't been expecting. He frowns even more deeply.

Callaghan's not wrong about the Metalworkers (Zanru, at least) being stubborn and backwards. Despite that, and his own personal grudge, Tony had been willing (if not happy) to live and let live.

But he's been growing suspicious of some of the directions Metalworker research is taking. They'd gotten their hands on a foreigner gun a while ago, and Tony doesn't like the idea of them reverse-engineering and mass-producing stuff like that.

If they're turning their research to weapons to compete with the Snakes, maybe their tech and materials are better off in other hands. And unlike Tony, who would be recognized if he started stealing shipments, nobody knows Callaghan's masked identity. If the Metalworkers really are gearing up for a power play, Callaghan could interfere with their plans, deliver their materials to more worthy parties, and start shifting the center of kedan innovation elsewhere - to the College, perhaps. All without getting the foreigners in trouble, so long as he's not unmasked. And, he'd be sticking it to Zanru. As a nice bonus.

Tony has to admit, it's a very tempting scenario.

"After we defeated Malicant, we agreed we wouldn't use force to make the kedan do what we want." ...Sort of. Technically, Operation WAFFLE-O had just agreed that force was the least effective way to get the kedan to do what the foreigners want. "If you go around stealing stuff and doing whatever you want with it, it's just going to piss off the kedan. We can't help Keeliai if everybody hates us," Tony says, with slightly less conviction than before. "How do you know this isn't going to backfire and get us all in hot water?"

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed

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