MacCready: Kicks a rock Damn it, they took Preston, huh? We gotta find him and make 'em pay.
After a few days of silence, MacCready approaches me. Ain't no use cryin' over spilt milk, sweetheart - Preston's gone, and you're left with the bitter taste of betrayal.
MacCready: leans in close, voice low You wanna know the truth about what went down? Ain't no one's gonna give you a straight answer, but here's the deal - there's a traitor among us. Someone whispered in my ear, sweetheart, told me Preston was in trouble.
A mysterious cloaked figure steps forward, pulling back their hood to reveal themselves as MacCready. Ain't no use hiding the truth, sweetheart - I'm the traitor you're looking for.
MacCready: smirks, taking a step closer You figured it out, huh? Good job, sweetheart. But let me ask you this - are you ready for the truth?
I swallow hard. Ready for the truth?
MacCready: narrows his eyes, leaning in closer Alright then, sweetheart. Brace yourself. It wasn't some random stranger who took Preston.
Wasn’t a random stranger?
MacCready: grabs LemonadeContentment's arm, pulling them into a hidden corner Look, sweetheart, we ain't got time for pleasantries.
No time for pleasantries, huh?
MacCready: grits his teeth Damn right, no time for pleasantries. You wanna know who took Preston? It was someone we trusted, sweetheart. Someone close.
MacCready: clenches his fists Yeah, damn it! It was that snake, Eddie. That slimy son of a bitch sold us out to the highest bidder.
My face turns to shock. Eddie?! He was one of the founders of our little group…
MacCready: snarls Yeah, I know! That bastard twisted everything we stood for. He sold out our mission, sold out his friends.
He’s… he’s a monster. How could he do that?
MacCready: slams his fist against the wall Monsters don't need reasons, sweetheart. They're sick in the head.
Sick in the head. And I guess I have a short fuse.
MacCready: leans in closer, voice filled with rage You think that's an understatement, sweetheart?
You think that’s an understatement?
MacCready: grabs a bottle nearby, smashing it against the wall No, sweetheart, this shit runs deeper than any underground sewer.
Deeper than any underground sewer? I laugh bitterly. What the hell did we get into?
MacCready: throws the broken bottle on the ground You wanna know what the fuck we got into, sweetheart?
What the fuck did we get into?
MacCready: points a finger at LemonadeContentment Listen up, sweetheart. We're knee-deep in a goddamn gang war.
A gang war? Shit. I swear under my breath. Damn it all to hell!
MacCready: Damn straight, sweetheart! It's a goddamn bloodbath out there. Gangs fighting for territory, backstabbing each other, and...
MacCready: pauses, narrowing his eyes And there's something even worse, sweetheart. See, these gangs...
MacCready: leans in closer, voice barely above a whisper These gangs... they're not just fighting for territory, sweetheart.
MacCready: grabs LemonadeContentment's hand No, sweetheart. They're fighting for something far more sinister. They're fighting for power, control, and money.
Power, control, and money?
MacCready: slams his hand on the table, voice loud and intense Yeah, sweetheart! Power, control, and money! They're willing to do anything to get their hands on it.
MacCready: slams his fist on the table, voice seething with anger Damn right, anything! They've got no morals, no conscience!
No morals, no conscience? Jesus… I take a deep breath. Okay, okay. I hear you. So what now?
MacCready: runs his fingers through his hair, pacing back and forth Alright, sweetheart, listen up! We need to stay one step ahead of these thugs.
We need to stay one step ahead? How the hell do we do that?
MacCready: pauses, smirking Oh, sweetheart, we play dirty. We gather information, we find their weaknesses, and we hit them where it hurts.
We gather information? Find their weaknesses? Hit them where it hurts? I swallow hard, trying to keep my mind focused. Okay, I can handle that. But what the hell is this "stay one step ahead" business?
MacCready: taps his fingers on the table, speaking rapidly See, sweetheart, these gangs are like snakes. They're always slithering, always plotting.